


Shitty Service

by Miilkobitch



Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: AU, Anal Sex, Angst, Casual Sex, Denial, Fluff, Happy Ending, Inexperience, M/M, More tags to be added, Rimming, Slow Burn, Smut, Teacher!Ian, Waiter!Mickey, emotional detachment, exclusive fuck buddies, fuck buddies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-05
Updated: 2018-10-14
Packaged: 2018-12-24 04:00:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 57,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12004560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miilkobitch/pseuds/Miilkobitch
Summary: Mickey Milkovich works at a restaurant where he's paid to be rude to the customers. Ian Gallagher can't get enough of the food.A++ for a corny summary.





	1. Chapter 1

"Milkovich! Meet me in my office!" Mickey's boss called for him as he was walking in for his shift. He actually kind of like Donte. He'd never admit it out loud, but Donte was an alright guy. Donte gave him a job when no one else would, regardless of his knuckle tattoos and his multiple run-ins with the law.

The job was pretty cool, too. He was actually paid to be a dick to the customers. He never really pictured himself being a waiter, but at least with this job, he didn't have to plaster on a fake smile and pretend he actually enjoyed the people he was talking to. Most of the other servers hated him, though, because he always got the better tips. People always asked to be sat in his section because, "he was so believable." It's amazing how much people will pay for you to be a dick to them just so they can have a good laugh. Little did they know, all of the insults he threw at his customers were true and it wasn't an act for Mickey. It was just his personality.

Mickey headed towards the back of the restaurant and to Donte's office. "What?" He asked before seeing a young girl standing next to him. She was short and petite, her blue and purple hair was pulled into a tight bun on the top of her head. Mickey didn't know shit about makeup, but even he could tell that the winged eyeliner was done with precision. She had a nose ring and more tattoos than Mickey had ever seen on another person. She looked really cool if he was being honest.

"This is Georgie. She's starting next week. You're our best server so I'm gonna have her shadow you today and then you'll start really training her on Monday," Donte explained, raising his eyebrows. "And I know you wanna throw a fit about it, but I suggest you don't. Take your rage out on the customers."

Mickey sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Do you at least know how to be a dick? You look like, and I mean this in the worst possible way, a ball of fuckin sunshine. Don't want you going home after a shift and crying cause you feel bad for hurting someone's feelings."

"Luckily, I'm an actress so I can easily pretend to be mean. I already had to insult Donte through my entire interview and I feel great about it," she said, laughing a little.

"He doesn't count. He makes it too easy to make of him," Mickey pointed out, raising his eyebrows.

"And you don't?" She questioned, tilting her head to the side.

"The fucks that supposed mean?" Mickey pressed, crossing his arms over his chest.

Georgie raised an eyebrow and shrugged. "You're like 5'5 with glasses and yet you actually got 'FUCK U-UP' tattooed on your knuckles. Need I explain further?"

"Fuck you, I'm 5'7," Mickey grumbled, turning and walking out of the office. He was almost pissed at himself for liking this girl already.

They've worked together for 3 years and she ended up putting her acting career on hold because she liked working at Donte's so much. They even became roommates and she was the closest thing to a best friend Mickey ever had.

He was in the employee locker room, grabbing his apron from his locker when Georgie walked in. He looked over his shoulder at her briefly before turning back to tie his apron.

"Whats up, smiles?" He asked, grabbing his pencil.

"You've been here for 2 seconds and already have people asking to be sat in your section," she said, clearly annoyed.

"What can I say, I'm talented," he said, smiling cheekily at her.

"Wow, your ego must be much taller than you by now. Not that that's saying much," she said and leaned against the lockers next to his. "No, but some dude said he knows you personally. Said you went to school together and he's here with a really hot redhead."

Mickey frowned. "Why the fuck would anyone I went to high school with want to see me? I was a closeted thug who beat the shit out of people just because I liked hearing their noses break."

She shrugged. "I don't know why anyone ever asks for you. You're a pain the ass."

"Alright, fuck off. You're supposed to be a dick to them, not me," he chuckled, shaking his head.

"Gotta stay in character. I'll be nice tonight and order from your favorite Chinese restaurant," she said, kissing him on the cheek before walking out of the locker room.

He sighed heavily and went out, finding the people Georgie was talking about. It wasn't hard seeing as the redhead she was talking about was tall as shit and his hair really made him stick out.

He approached them and instantly recognized Lip Gallagher. "The fuck are you doing here?" He asked, raising his eyebrows.

"My brother just moved back home after graduating from UCLA and I figured he'd get a kick out of a waiter giving us shit," Lip shrugged.

"Yes, because who doesn't love being degraded," the red head said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

Mickey had to admit, the guy was hot. Red hair, freckles, and pale as hell. Definitely Mickey's type, but now wasn't the time.

"Yeah, okay, firecrotch, what do you want to drink?" Mickey asked, pulling out his notepad.

"Water," he said, not even sparing Mickey a glance.

"I sure hope I'll be able to remember such a complex order," he said and looked at Lip expectantly.

"I'll have a beer," Lip said after visibly kicking his brother under the table.

"Okay, I'll get those and you better know what you wanna order by the time I get back. I don't have all day to fucking deal with you," he said and walked away.

As he was getting their drinks, Georgie walked up to give an order to the kitchen. "Hot, right?" She smirked, looking at him knowingly.

"I don't find every guy with red hair hot, George," he sighed softly, shaking his head.

"You totally have a hard on for him," she chuckled and walked away.

Mickey rolled his eyes and took the drinks back to the table. "The fuck do you guys want?" He asked, raising his eyebrows and the red head finally looked at him. And he didn't stop looking at him the entire time he was standing there.

Lip ordered his food, realizing that his brother wasn't going to speak up yet.

"Fucking fantastic," Mickey grumbled, shaking his head and wrote down the order. "Your turn, college boy," he said, getting more flustered the more the guy looked at him. A few more seconds passed and he still hadn't ordered so Mickey snapped his fingers in his face. "I have other fucking costumers, dude, hurry the fuck up."

"Sorry," the guy mumbled before telling him what he wanted.

"Bout fuckin time, Jesus Christ," he said and stomped off.

"What the fuck was that?" Lip chuckled, raising his eyebrows.

"Nothing," Ian shook his head. "Zoned out, I guess."

Lip smirked knowingly and pulled his phone out to pass the time until their food got there.

When Mickey came back with their food, he was practically scowling and Ian couldn't help but smile a little.

"Don't bother me unless you actually need something," Mickey said before walking away again.

"He's gay," Lip said as he dug into his food.

"Why are you telling me this?" Ian asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Cause you think he's hot," Lip chuckled.

"He's not all that. Maybe if he lost the glasses," Ian shrugged.

"You'd fuck him either way," Lip replied, knowing his brother all too well.

They ate their food, making casual conversation about what was going on in their lives. Lip had just started seeing someone, his secretary or something but Ian wasn't really paying attention to what he was saying. He was mostly just letting his eyes follow their waiter, not being discreet in the slightest.

Mickey brought over their bill, still sporting the scowl he's had on his face since the second Ian laid eyes on him. "And you better leave a decent ass tip," he mumbled, taking their empty plates.

Lip paid the bill so Ian was in change of the tip. He pulled a twenty out of his wallet and put it on the table, hoping Lip wouldn't notice how much he left. No such luck.

"Dude. That's more than a 50 percent tip. 20 is standard. Do you not have any smaller bills? You want me to break that?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Nah, he wants a decent ass tip, remember?" Ian chuckled, putting his wallet back in his pocket.

"You definitely wanna fuck him," Lip chuckled, shaking his head.

"Whatever, just cause he's hot doesn't mean I wanna fuck him," Ian rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, okay," Lip said sarcastically as they walked out.

____________________________

"You've been giddy as hell ever since we got home. What's with you?" Georgie asked as they sat on the couch with their Chinese food and chop sticks.

"Nothing. Just in a good mood, I guess," Mickey shrugged. "You got my favorite food. I'm thanking you by being less of a dick."

"Bull shit. This is about the red head, isn't it?" She asked, muting the tv.

"Fuck no," he shook his head and took a bite of sweet and sour chicken.

"It totally is," she said, leaning back against the arm of the couch.

"If you mock, I'll throw you outside and lock you out for the night," he said, avoiding her eyes.

"No mocking, I promise," she said, holing up her right hand.

"When they were leaving... I, uh, overheard his brother giving him shit for giving me almost 60 percent in a tip and then he called me hot. No ones ever called me hot before. Took me by surprise, I guess," he said, not taking his eyes off the food in front of him. "A 20 dollar tip," he chuckled.

"His name is Ian," she informed him, smiling a little.

"How the fuck do you know that?" Mickey asked, raising his eyebrows.

"I walked by and his brother said it," she shrugged.

Mickey rolled his eyes. "Were you just walking by or were you fishing to find out?" He asked knowingly.

"Does it matter?"

"Yes, because I didn't want to know his name, dick." He said and popped another piece of chicken in his mouth.

"And why not?" She asked, tilting her head to the side.

"He's the first person to ever call me hot. I was hoping to feel good about it tonight and forget about it tomorrow but now the dude has a name which makes him an actual person," he said, sighing heavily.

"You are pretty hot, if I'm being honest. I was so disappointed when I found out you were gay," she chuckled, shrugging her shoulders.

"Stop it," Mickey told his best friend, slapping her thigh.

"What? Does it not have the same effect as when a super cute red head says it?" she asked, smiling brightly and Mickey grabbed one of the throw pillows he had put on the floor and threw it at her head.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to explain that the Slow Burn tag is due to an emotional slow burn. Everything else will be developing much faster, but in this fic, neither of them are wanting anything more than a fuck buddy. The fluff won't make an appearance any time soon. Enjoy!!

Ian started coming into Donte's everyday and asking for Mickey every time. It was throwing Mickey off if he was being honest. He ordered the same thing every time and left a huge tip. Mickey wasn't complaining because the money was needed and Gallagher wasn't a bad sight to see everyday, but there had to be a reason he was dumping so much money just to have Mickey be a dick to him.

Mickey's break had just started when Ian walked into the restaurant and he sighed heavily, shaking his head. Georgie walked up and stood beside him, trying to hold back a laugh.

"He's got it bad," she said quietly, patting Mickey on the back.

"Like hell he's gonna interfere with my break," Mickey shook his head and went over the redhead, grabbing the hood of his jacket and pulled him outside.

"What the fuck, dude?" Ian asked, wide eyed and brows furrowed.

"I already know you're gonna ask me to serve you and I just got on my break. You're not gonna ruin my break. It's the only one I have and by the time it's over, we're going to be busy as hell. Don't have time for you today," Mickey explained, pulling out his cigarettes from his pocket while adjusting his glasses.

"I can wait," Ian shrugged and leaned against the building.

Mickey closed his eyes and shook his head, lighting up the cigarette he had put in his mouth moments ago. "Why? Why do you come here everyday? Why do you always ask me to serve you? And more importantly, why do you keep tipping me an insane amount? What do you want from me?"

"What makes you think I want anything from you?" Ian smirked, watching the smoke being blown between Mickey's lips and licked his own.

"Because you look at me like you haven't fuckin' eaten in months, nobody tips more than half the bill, and you've dumped a bucket of money into this shitty restaurant over the past week. Where you even get that kind of cash being south side and straight out of college will never make fuckin sense to me. So why the fuck do you keep coming here?" Mickey raised his eyebrows and flicked the built up ash off the end of his cigarette.

Ian shrugged. "The foods not bad and you're nice to look at."

Mickey scoffed and shook his head. "Unbelievable," he muttered. "You know for a fact neither of those statements are true."

"Okay, the food could use some work. But I meant what I said about you."

"Whatever, man. Keep tipping the way you do and I won't use my right to refuse service," he said and flicked his cigarette away before going back inside.

______________________

"Dude, you have got to stop going back to that restaurant. You look desperate," Lip said as Ian sat down on his brothers couch with a beer in hand.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Ian replied, popping the beer open and taking a long sip.

"Bull shit. You're on a mission to fuck Mickey Milkovich and you know it," Lip said knowingly, raising his eyebrows.

"You're delusional," Ian said simply, staring at the tv but not really paying attention to what was on. Lip wasn't wrong. The guy was hot and now that Ian was permanently back in Chicago, having to leave behind his previous fuck buddy, he was in need of a new one. His brother didn't need to know about his fuck buddies, though. Ian liked to keep that shit to himself.

Ian wasn't the type of guy to go telling everyone what or who he was doing. He wasn't a teenage girl who stayed up all night texting her best friend about some cute guy. He wasn't even the relationship type. He always had one person that he was fucking regularly, but he didn't stick around for cuddles and heart to hearts. He stuck around for a cigarette and then he was out the door. That's exactly what he planned to do with Mickey and he had a feeling Mickey wouldn't be opposed to the idea if Ian ever got to that point.

Sure, going to the restaurant everyday was probably a bit redundant, but he could tell the twenty dollar tips were helping his case. He was glad he had saved up so much money from his retail job that he worked while he was in college and had a brother that was willing to let him crash rent free until he started his teaching job in August. Otherwise, he'd be dirt broke and have nothing but his looks to lure Mickey in. His looks would've been plenty for any other guy, but it was safe to assume that Mickey was going to be a hard one to please. Ian was okay with that, though. He enjoyed the chase.

"Seriously, man, maybe you should chill on going to the restaurant for a few days. Make him wonder where you were. Save some money while you're at it," Lip said before taking a swig from his own beer.

"No offense, but you don't know shit about picking up a guy. You're good with girls, but guys are a whole different story. We don't think about that shit. We forget. He'd probably feel like something is off, but he wouldn't be able to figure out what it was," Ian replied, resting his feet on the coffee table.

"Try it out. If it doesn't work, you can just start going back everyday and you'll be right back on track," Lip said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Fine," Ian relented, finishing off his beer. "You're wrong, though."

_________________________________________

Lip was right. It had been three days since the gangly red head had shown up at the restaurant and Mickey had definitely noticed. He got less in tips and he was pretty pissed off about it. He figured Ian would stop showing up eventually, he just hadn't thought it'd be so soon. There was no denying that the guy was attractive and that was a plus to him coming in everyday, but the money was really helping him out. Money is always tight when you're relying on tips to pay your bills and Ian was helping out with that more than he probably realized.

It was day four and Mickey was just hoping that the red head would bounce his way into his section and leave a generous tip. He tied his apron around waist, closing his employee locker. Ian or no Ian, he had to be on his game today. He needed the tips and even though he wouldn't be getting the same amount as he would if Ian showed up, he'd bust his ass until he got somewhat close to it. He'd gotten way too used to hot showers since he moved out of the Milkovich house and he wasn't ready to give that up yet.

He made his way onto the floor, sporting his typical scowl beneath his glasses as he made his way to his section. His scowl almost turned into a smile, though, because a shock of red hair caught his attention and he was relieved to find out that he'd get to take hot showers for at least another month.

"The fuck do you want, Firecrotch?" Mickey asked, successfully hiding his elated state.

"Just a water. Not hungry today," he replied, looking up at Mickey. "What times your break?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"The fucks it to you?" Mickey retorted, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Wanna talk to you about something," Ian answered, sitting back in his seat.

"So do it now but make it choppy. Got other costumers who actually intend on contributing to my bills."

Ian shrugged. "I wanna fuck," he said simply, not even seeming nervous.

"Okay? So go fuck someone. The fuck does that have to do with me?" Mickey asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

"You're the someone I wanna fuck. No strings attached. No questions asked. We fuck, we go on with our days. A regular thing," Ian replied, shrugging his shoulders.

"You're really propositioning me right now?" Mickey chuckled. He had to admit, he was impressed. Mickey usually had to do most of the propositioning seeing as people were way too scared of him to even think about approaching him.

"We're both good looking guys, we both get horny, both need to let off some steam. You don't strike me as a guy who wants a relationship and that's exactly what I'm looking for. What do ya say?"

Mickey didn't have a chance to reply before Ian was writing something on a napkin and pulling out his wallet. He stood up after he pulled some money out and held the napkin between his index and middle fingers.

"This is my number," he explained, slipping it in the pocket of his apron. "Let me know what you decide," he said, slipping a twenty dollar bill into Mickey's front pocket.

He didn't even turn around to glance at Mickey one more time before he was back into the heat of summer, looking both ways before crossing the street.

Mickey couldn't stop the smirk that took over his face. A fuck buddy. No strings attached. And it was a sexy ass guy who was offering it to him. There wasn't much to consider. He already knew his answer.

He went about his day, though, pretending nothing had happened and doing his job even better than he had planned. His tips for the day were looking amazing and Mickey couldn't have had a better day.

When he got home, he went straight to the jar that he and Georgie put money in for bills, sticking a wad of cash inside and put it back in its hiding spot, in the very back of the freezer.

"Holy fuck," Georgie laughed from behind him. "Good day?"

"Fuckin' great day, man. We're gonna be able to order out even more. The bills for the month are completely covered," he replied, shutting the freezer door and turned to face her.

"Did Ian contribute to that or is he still AWOL?" Georgie asked curiously.

"Yeah, he came back today. But even without his tip, we still woulda been covered. North side people are fuckin' idiots," Mickey chuckled gleefully, grabbing two beers from the fridge tossing one to his best friend. "I'm gonna go take a nap. Order some food and wake me up when it gets here."

Georgie nodded her response and Mickey went straight to his room. He flopped down onto his bed and pulled out his phone and the napkin Ian had given him earlier, saving the number. He opened a new text and chewed on his lip.

Mickey (5:43 pm): no strings?

Ian (5:46 pm): no strings

Mickey (5:48 pm): ok fine

Mickey shut his phone off, putting it on the nightstand and laid back, determined to get that nap in. He was going to be needing all the rest he could get.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Twitter: Miilkobitch


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanna make it known that Ian's leather jacket is faux leather. Be kind to animals.

Ian woke up the next morning, running his hands over his face. He sighed heavily and sat up, preparing himself for his daily routine. Wake up, brush his teeth, shower, get dressed, eat breakfast. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't bored with his life at the moment. It was the first time since he was fourteen that he wasn't working. With Lip always working, Ian didn't really have much to do. He had already cleaned the apartment to the point it had become redundant and he completely ran out of things to clean, he went shopping for clothes that were more suitable for Chicago weather, he visited his family, he had everything in order for his new job. He had nothing left to do.

He pushed himself off the bed and made his way to the bathroom. As he went through his routine, he thought about what he could possibly do for the day. As he brushed his teeth, he remembered the texts from the night before and contemplated meeting up with Mickey. Waiting a few days was probably the smarter option, but being straightforward seemed to be working for him.

He spit the toothpaste out and rinsed his mouth out, deciding that meeting up with Mickey was probably his best bet. He'd get out of the house, he'd get laid for the first time since he got back to Chicago, it'd be a productive day. He went through the rest of his routine, pouring himself a bowl of cereal. He pulls his phone out as he's eating, opening a new text to Mickey.

Ian (9:34 am): You busy today?

He put his phone on the counter while he waited for a reply, reading the back of the cereal box. He'd already finished his food and answered some emails before he got a reply.

Mickey (10:07 am): Was gonna sleep all day. U got a better offer?

Ian (10:07 am): I might

The next text that Mickey sent was an address and Ian couldn't hold himself back from smirking. He almost wanted to give himself a pat on the back, feeling pretty impressed with himself. It was always easy for Ian to get what he wants, but it was especially easy this time around and he was feeling great about it.

He went to his room to grab some lube and a condom, stuffing them into his pocket. He grabbed his leather jacket that he had his apartment keys in and pulled it on. He felt like he was on cloud nine as he made his way towards the L. He'd been back in Chicago for over a month and hadn't fucked anyone. All he'd been able to do was jerk off in the shower. The only downfall of being picky about the people you sleep with.

The ride on the L was torturously slow. All he wanted to do was scratch the itch that he had since the second he saw the brunette, but every second that passed felt like hours. He let out a sigh of relief when he got to his stop and wasted no time getting to Mickey's apartment. He didn't want to bother with the elevator, knowing that standing still would just make time pass slower.

He took the stairs, taking them by twos. Maybe he seemed over eager, but he'd been craving a warm mouth since he had moved back home and he was finally gonna get that. When he stopped in front of Mickey's apartment, he was breathing heavily. He felt the dampness of sweat on his forehead and realized that taking the elevator probably would've been the better option, but he was already there.

He took one final breath and tapped on the door with his knuckles. It didn't take long before the door was pulled open. One of the waitresses he'd seen at Donté's was standing there with an eyebrow raised, her head tilted to the side.

"Mickey here?" Ian asked, shoving his hands into his front pockets.

"Yeah. He's in his room," she answered, stepping to the side to let him in. "First door on the left."

Ian nodded and stepped inside, taking the direction she gave him. He stopped two feet from the door and turned to look at her. "I advise using some noise canceling headphones for..." he paused, looking at his watch. "About an hour."

She chuckled and nodded understandingly. "Alright, thanks for the heads up," she replied, making her way to what he assumed was her bedroom.

He turned the doorknob on Mickey's door and went inside, nodding his head at the shorter man who was lounging on his bed in just a tshirt and boxers. He stripped his jacket off, tossing it to the side and pulled the lube and condom out of his pocket setting them on the night stand.

"No small talk?" Mickey asked, raising his eyebrows in shock as he watched Ian peel his shirt off.

"Fuck no," Ian replied, grimacing slightly.

Mickey was impressed. Most guys that came over to fuck would make it awkward as hell, waiting for Mickey to tell them to get on him, but Ian was straight to the point and he was elated about it. He reached back and pulled his shirt over his head before watching Ian kick his shoes off and push his jeans down his legs, kicking them off as well.

Ian climbed onto the bed, straddling Mickey's waist and taking only a moment to admire the other man's body before he was leaning forward.

"If you're about to kiss me on the lips, I'm kicking you out," Mickey stated, raising his eyebrows.

"I don't kiss. Now, shut the fuck up," Ian replied, leaning down and took Mickey's nipple between his teeth, applying a little pressure and smirked when Mickey shivered.

He trailed his lips down Mickey's body, nipping at random spots as he did. He looked up at the brunette through his lashes once he got to his hips, taking the waistband of his boxers between his teeth, tugging them down. Mickey lifted his hips to make it easier which Ian appreciated. Once he got the boxers off, he wasted no time getting Mickey's semi hard cock in his mouth, determined to get it to full attention.

Mickey's head fell back against the pillows, loving the feeling of Ian's lips wrapped around him. His cock got harder every time Ian bobbed his head. His hand traveled down to Ian's hair and started tugging on the red locks, his hips thrusting up into Ian's face.

Ian's throat relaxed, allowing more and more of Mickey's cock to bury deep in his throat. Mickey let out a low moan and Ian felt his cock fill even more, loving the feeling of knowing that he was making Mickey feel good. Ian pulled his head off of Mickey's dick, in need of some air. A string of saliva trailed from his bottom lip to the tip of Mickey's dick, breaking when Ian wiped his chin.

"Turn over," Ian ordered, grabbing the lube as Mickey did what he was told. The red head lathered three of his fingers with the liquid as he admired the plump ass that was in his face. "Spread your cheeks."

Mickey complied, resting his face against the mattress as he reached back pulled his cheeks as far apart as he could. Ian moaned lowly at the sight, rubbing his middle finger over the puckered hole. He slowly slipped his finger inside, smiling a bit when Mickey pushed back on the digit. He started pumping it in and out until he was stretched enough for a second finger. He repeated the process until all three fingers were inside, scissoring until Mickey was breathing heavily and furrowing his eyebrows.

A quiet whine left Mickey's lips when Ian slipped his fingers out. He pushed his boxers off and grabbed the condom, putting it on as fast as he could without breaking it. He lathered his cock with lube, biting his lip as he stroked his length.

"Hurry the fuck up," Mickey complained, pushing his ass back towards Ian, making the taller man chuckle lowly.

"And I thought I was impatient," he commented, landing a hard smack on Mickey's ass and rubbed it soothingly. Before Mickey had the chance to complain, Ian was running the tip of his cock over Mickey's hole before inching his way in.

They both let out low groans when he bottomed out, relishing in the feeling for only a moment before Ian was snapping his hips back and forth, one hand on Mickey's waist and squeezing it tightly. It would probably leave a bruise later, but neither of them could focus on anything other than Ian's hard thrusts.

Mickey buried his face in a pillow, trying to silence his loud moans when Ian angled his hips just right, nudging Mickey's prostate with every thrust. Ian was lost in the sight of his cock sinking into Mickey's ass repeatedly, savoring the tightness.

"Fuck, harder," Mickey pleaded, reaching down and wrapped his hand around his dick, tugging on it rhythmically.

Ian did as he was told, slamming harder into the shorter man. Mickey was a moaning mess under him, his free hand gripping the sheets until his knuckles turned white and Ian wasn't in such great shape either. His hair was damp with sweat and his once pale skin was as red as his hair.

"Fuck, I'm gonna..." Ian trailed off, trying to focus on anything but his oncoming climax.

"Me too," Mickey agreed, nodding his head and started pushing his ass back in time with Ian's thrusts. Half a dozen more pokes at his prostate and Mickey was spilling into his hand, Ian trailing right behind him. They both moaned loudly through their orgasms, squeezing their eyes shut.

Ian took a deep breath as he slowly pulled his sensitive cock out, earning a soft whine from Mickey. The shorter man fell onto his back, avoiding the puddle of cum he had left there moments ago. Ian rolled the condom off, tying it shut and tossed it in the bin next to the bed and started grabbing for his clothes.

While Ian got dress, Mickey stared blankly at the ceiling, trying to catch his breath. Ian pulled his jacket on, putting his lube in the pocket.

"Alright, I'm outta here," he said, picking up the pack of cigarettes on the nightstand and took one out. "You mind if I take one?" He asked, putting it between his lips and realized that he didn't actually care what the answer was and left the room.

He knocked on the door that the waitress disappeared into to let her know it was all clear and made his way out of the apartment. Once he was outside, he lit the cigarette and took a long drag. The nicotine and the post orgasm feeling had him feeling so much lighter than he had felt in the past few weeks.

He decided he wanted to walk home, not wanting the crowdedness of the L to dim his good mood. He slipped his jacket off, the heat of mid July making him feel sticky. He was lost in his head the whole way back home, thinking about all the things he had coming up. Work next month, finding his own apartment, saving up for a car. He was finally looking forward to things and it felt great.

Lip was planted on the couch when Ian made it home, staring mindlessly at the tv. Ian grabbed a beer from the refrigerator and sat next to his brother, twisting the cap off and took a long swig. He hadn't noticed until he looked over that Lip was now staring at him with his eyebrows furrowed.

"What?" Ian questioned after swallowing the bitter liquid.

"You have a post sex glow going on right now," Lip chuckled.

"Fuck off, no I don't," Ian rolled his eyes.

"No, I'm serious. You do. You finally get in Milkovich's pants?" He asked, raising his eyebrows knowingly. When Ian didn't answer, he knew he was right. "Is this one gonna stick? You gonna take him on dates and shit?"

Lip had never seen a more disgusted face than the one he had just seen Ian pull, making him laugh and throw his head back.

"Fuck no. We just fucked. I don't do that shit, man. You know that."

Lip held his hands up in surrender. "I know. Just thought I'd check in. See if you'd ever take that step."

The thought made Ian queasy. A relationship was the last thing he wanted. He didn't see the point in sticking around after fucking someone. He didn't see the point in sweet kisses, in cuddling, in sharing your life with someone.

It just wasn't him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Twitter: Miilkobitch


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so it seems there has been a bit of confusion as far as feelings go. Basically, there are none (yet). Mickey feels the same way as Ian does. Mickey doesn't mind how cold Ian is being. He prefers it that way. 
> 
> Now that that is out of the way, this chapter is for Shelby! Thank you for suggesting this and staying up all hours of the night to help me out with basically every single part of it. I wouldn't want anyone else helping me with these fics!!

It had been a month since Mickey started sleeping with Ian and he couldn't think of a better arrangement. They didn't talk, they didn't kiss, they didn't have feelings. They got off and went their separate ways. There was no drama, it didn't interfere with his daily life, it was simple. Exactly what Mickey needed. It didn't hurt that the sex was mind blowing. So mind blowing that he'd probably compare all of his sexual encounters to it in the future.

Ian still came into the restaurant, not as much, but he showed up. He ordered a water and left a twenty dollar tip every single time. He has no clue what Ian does for a living, but whatever it is, Mickey is grateful for it. Georgie was especially thankful for the big tips seeing as the two of them were just going to watch movies and eat junk food for her birthday, but with the extra cash coming their way, she was able to splurge on all different kinds of alcohol.

Georgie was in the kitchen making them both drinks while Mickey was putting the box of pizza they ordered on the coffee table. They had done this every year on both of their birthdays since they met. Pizza, drinks, and shitty tv. Neither of them really wanted to do much more than that on their birthdays. They enjoyed just hanging out together.

Anyone with eyes would think their friendship was strange. Mickey was always pissed off and would rather have his finger nails be pulled off with pliers than participate in small talk and Georgie was a literal ball of fucking sunshine who was nice to everyone she encountered when she wasn't at work. She genuinely cares about how someone's day went and would help a stranger without being asked. They were polar opposites but for some reason, they worked. They didn't get in each other's way, they were somehow unbothered by two completely different personalities living under one roof, and somewhere along the way, they ended up giving a shit about each other.

"Here," Georgie said, holding a glass out towards him as she made her way into the living room, sipping on her own drink.

Mickey took the glass and adjusted his glasses as he sat down. "Happy fuckin' birthday," he said, downing the liquid in his cup and winced at the burn. "You shoulda brought bottles in here. Not glasses," Mickey tsked, shaking his head and stood back up to go grab the bottles.

"It's not my fault you don't know how to sip," Georgie replied, shrugging her shoulders and putting a slice of pizza on her plate.

"You don't fuckin' sip alcohol. You sip things that taste good. Alcohol isn't for quenching your thirst, sunshine," Mickey called from the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of tequila, a bottle of Jack, a few beers, and some Coke. He flopped back down on the couch, setting everything on the table. He grabbed his food and got himself in a comfortable position, staring mindlessly at the tv while he ate.

They went hard. They were tipsy by the end of the first episode of Law & Order and completely plastered by the end of the second one. They laughed at serious moments in the show, they laughed at their own commentary, they laughed at each other. It was just like any other birthday they had spent together.

"Ian coming over tonight?" Georgie asked after their most recent laughing fit ended.

"The fuck for?" Mickey slurred, furrowing his eyebrows.

"For sex," she replied as if it should've been obvious.

"With you? You know he's gay, right? I can get him over here if you want, but don't blame me when your ego is bruised," Mickey shrugged, pulling out his phone.

"With you, dumb ass. I don't want a dick in me that's already been in you," she grimaced, shuddering slightly.

"Why would I have birthday sex on your birthday? That doesn't make sense," Mickey replied, trying to understand her train of thought to no avail.

Georgie rolled her eyes, resting her legs on Mickey's lap. "You're killing my buzz. Don't talk to me anymore," she said, chugging the rest of her drink and poured herself another one.

"Fine," Mickey shrugs, opening his text messages and clicked on Ian's number. "You really wanna hear me get plowed all night on your birthday, I can do that for you. Anything for you."

Mickey (12:53 am): I want bday sex

Ian (12:57 am): It's your birthday?

Mickey (12:57 am): Nope

Ian (12:59 am): You know it's gotta be your birthday in order to have birthday sex, right?

Mickey (1:01 am): u make the fuckin rules for birthday sex?

Ian (1:04 am): Can't come over tonight anyway. Out with fam.

Mickey (1:04 am): Cock tease

Ian (1:05 am): I never implied that I'd be able to make it. I didn't tease you.

Mickey (1:07 am): Woula rode ur cock if u came over. Know how much u liked it last time

Mickey (1:07am): Guess I'll just have to use my fingers instead

Ian (1:08 am): Now who's the cock tease?

Mickey (1:09 am): Still u. Coming over is still an option

Ian (1:09 am): I'm busy. Can't just leave.

Ian (1:09 am): it's a party thrown in my honor. Kinda have to stick around.

Mickey (1:10 am): what's more fun? A party with ur fam or having ur cock shoved down my throat?

"Texting Ian?" Georgie smirked knowingly, nudging Mickey's thigh with her foot.

"Leave me alone," he replied, rolling his eyes as Georgie took it upon herself to move closer to him.

"Is my best friend, Mickey Milkovich, sexting?" Georgie asked, trying to peek over to see what they were texting.

"Will you fuck off? This is none of your business," he slurred, adjusting his glasses.

His phone vibrated in his hand and he looked down, his eyes falling on a picture of Ian, seemingly in a bathroom stall, with his cock out. The tip was red and leaking precum, making Mickey's mouth water instantly. He had to slightly adjust himself, squirming in his seat. He was reminded of Georgie's presence when she gasped next to him, looking down at his phone as well.

He pulled the phone away and glared at her, pushing her towards the other end of the couch. He smirked when he saw another text come through.

Ian (1:14 am): You're an asshole.

"If you wanna go take care of that, I can catch you up on what you missed when you get back," Georgie offered, pointing at the tv.

"Fuck off," Mickey grumbled, standing up. "I gotta piss."

Georgie raised her eyebrows knowingly but turned back to the tv, pretending to focus on whatever it was that the SVU was trying to figure out. Mickey walked away, going straight to the bathroom and locked the door, which apparently, Georgie had heard, because he heard her start laughing on the other side.

He reached into his sweatpants, palming himself through his boxers. He opened the picture of Ian's cock, rolling his bottom lip between his teeth as he added more pressure. He leaned back against the wall and let his eyes fall shut, exhaling shortly. He could hardly believe that one person was getting him this worked up without even being there. Ian had turned him out more times than he could count, but he never thought he'd be locked in the bathroom, jacking off to a picture of the guys cock.

He was brought back to reality when his phone started vibrating vigorously in his hand, making him sigh heavily. He looked down, seeing Ian's name flashing on the screen.

"What?" He asked when he answered the call, trying to keep his breathing steady.

"You got what you needed and then decided to neglect me? That's rude," Ian replied, probably doing as good of a job as Mickey was doing at hiding his heavy breathing.

"Don't know what you're talking about," Mickey said, pushing his sweats and boxers down to his thighs so he could get a firm grip on his cock.

"Don't play dumb with me. I know what you're doing over there."

"Not doing anything," Mickey replied before accidentally letting out a breathy moan as he squeezed the tip of his cock gently.

"You sound so damn sexy right now," Ian breathed, apparently stroking his own dick since he was moaning along with the brunette. "Can't stop thinking about you riding me."

Mickey chuckled lowly as he reached down to roll his balls around in his hand. "Could've actually gotten it if you had come over. Wouldn't have to think about it."

"Fuck, I really wish I could," Ian murmured with another breathy moan.

Mickey started stroking his cock again, pressing the phone as close to his ear as he could so he wouldn't miss a single sound that left Ian's lips.

"Want your cock so bad," Mickey practically whined. He'd deny the desperation in the morning or blame the alcohol, but he couldn't give less of a fuck right now.

"What would you do to it if you could have it?" Ian asked, lust dripping off of every word.

Mickey licked his palm for lubrication and wrapped it back around his dick, thrusting into it at a steady pace. "Suck it. Take it all the way down my throat until I couldn't breathe. Then I'd ride you into the mattress, make your eyes roll back like they did the last time. Make you moan my fuckin' name."

"Want that. Want you," Ian answered, moaning lowly. Mickey's tongue darted out to wet his lips as he stroked his cock faster, both of them getting off to the sound of each other moaning and whining, loving how they were making each other feel. Words weren't needed anymore. They went through the motions, imagining that it was the other man's hand on their cock.

Mickey heard Ian's breath get harsher and his moans became slightly louder, signaling that he was close to the edge. The groan that Ian let out when he came had Mickey cumming seconds later, his back arching away from the wall and his legs going weak.

They stayed on the phone for a moment longer, just listening to each other's breathing calm down. It sure as hell wasn't as good as it would have been had Ian actually been there, but it was enough to hold him over until he could be.

"I gotta go," Ian said lowly. "I'll be over tomorrow. Do you work?"

"Day off. Don't come over early or you're not getting shit," Mickey answered, pulling his sweats back up.

"Okay, see tomorrow," he answered, hanging up.

Mickey took a deep breath and smiled to himself, feeling lightweight from the orgasm. His buzz was pretty much gone, but he was looking forward to spending the rest of the night getting it back. He shoved his phone into his pocket, grabbing some toilet paper to clean up the cum that was covering his hand and the floor in front of him. He threw the paper out before heading back to the living room, ignoring the smirk he was getting from his best friend.

"What'd I miss?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Twitter: Miilkobitch


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have a mediocre chapter!

Mickey was never really close with his sister. He was closer to her than his other siblings, but that wasn't saying much. Their relationship practically dissipated when she moved away with her boyfriend, now fiancé, so he was pretty surprised when she called and said she and Emmett were coming to visit. She had said she wanted to meet Georgie and his roommate was eager to comply, much to Mickey's dismay. He loved his sister, but seeing her would do nothing but bring back memories he didn't want to relive and her fiancé was the most annoying fucker he'd ever encountered. He'd be happy to never have to see that entitled asshole again. When they took their seats at the Alibi across from each other in a booth, Mickey let out a heavy sigh, ignoring the grin that Georgie was sending his way.

"You're too excited," Mickey grumbled, pulling his phone out to check the time.

"You're not excited enough," Georgie replied, staring him down. "I don't understand why you're so against seeing your sister."

"M'not," Mickey shrugged, getting up and walked over to the bar.

"Mickey Milkovich. What can I get for you?" Kevin, the bartender, asked.

"Two beers and four shots of tequila. Don't take too fuckin' long," Mickey groused, taking a seat on the stool in front of him. He ran a hand over his face, pulling his wallet out and dropped a few bills on the counter. When Kevin put four full shot glasses in front of him, he quickly threw back two of them, screwing his face up as he felt the burn in his throat.

"Rough night?" Kev asked when Mickey composed himself, raising his eyebrows.

"'Bout to be," Mickey said shortly, carefully picking up the remaining glasses and took them over to their table, setting one of the beers and the remaining shots in front of his roommate who was currently checking her purple hair in a small mirror she kept in her purse. "Drink up."

"Not everyone needs to be drunk to meet up with your family," she chuckled, downing one of the shots anyway.

"You've never met my family," he pointed out just as his phone started buzzing on the table, Mandy's contact flashing on the screen. He picked it up and pressed it to his ear. "The fuck are you, douche bag?"

"About that," Mandy answered sheepishly. "I'm not gonna be able to make it."

Part of Mickey was relieved but the other part was just annoyed. He'd spent days preparing himself for this and he had to listen to Georgie go on and on about how excited she was to meet his younger sister. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed heavily.

"You've got to be fuckin' kidding me, Mandy. Why the fuck not?"

"I'm sorry. We missed our flight. Emmett is trying to get us on the next plane but we won't be there until tomorrow night at this rate," Mandy said, not sounding as sorry as she probably hoped she would.

"And you couldn't have called a fuckin' hour ago?" Mickey questioned, leaning back against his seat.

"I'm sorry, Mick," she repeated, sighing softly. "We got caught up, okay? It's not like it's some huge inconvenience. So, you left the fucking house for once, big deal."

"Alright, bye," he said shortly, hanging up and turned his phone off, setting it on the table.

"She's not gonna be here tonight," he told Georgie, grabbing her untouched shot and threw it back, washing it down with a chug of his beer.

"I can't tell if you're relieved or not," she chuckled, taking a sip of her own beer.

"Don't care either way," Mickey said, shrugging his shoulders. "Not gonna stop me from getting wasted tonight."

She nodded and stood up. "Then I should get us more shots," she stated before walking away.

Mickey didn't show it often, but he was grateful for Georgie. She always knew what he was feeling without having to ask and she always knew exactly what he needed. She didn't push when it was evident that she shouldn't. She was always on his side, even if they both knew he was wrong. He knew she'd move on someday. She'd find a better friend than him and they'd drift apart and eventually never speak again because nothing was permanent in his life, but he was happy to just have it while it lasted.

"Lip and Ian Gallagher! Twice in one week. I am a lucky man," Mickey's head shot up as soon as he heard Kevin's out burst, looking directly at the door. Georgie was coming back with their drinks, clearly not paying attention to the ruckus behind her as she sat the shot glasses down in the middle of the table.

"Let's go somewhere else. We can get drunk anywhere. Let's go to one of those clubs that you never shut up about," Mickey suggested, gathering his things.

Georgie furrowed her eyebrows. "You're not the club type. You hate clubs. Are you feeling okay?"

"Fuck off. Let's just go somewhere else," he replied, his exasperation showing in his face.

Georgie squinted her eyes in suspicion and turned around, unable to miss the shock of red hair as soon as she did so. She snorted and looked back at Mickey, a smirk taking over her face. "Not a chance," she shook her head and turned back around. "Hey, Ian!" she called, instantly grabbing the attention of the man that Mickey was so clearly trying to avoid. Anything nice Mickey had been thinking about his roommate went straight out the window.

She waved him over and he complied, his lemur looking asshole of a brother right on his heels. "Hey, Georgie," Ian said as they got closer, pulling her into a brief hug.

"I'm Lip," the older Gallagher interrupted, putting himself between Ian and Georgie as soon as they pulled away from their hug.

"Okay?" Georgie replied, but it came out more like a question, making Mickey snort. She turned to Ian and smiled brightly. "Sit with us," she demanded, pushing Ian over to Mickey's side, earning herself a deadly glare from the brunet.

Ian did what he was told and Georgie sat down in front of Mickey, lip taking the seat next to her. Georgie glanced him briefly, scooting as far away from him as possible. Mickey had to stop himself from snorting again. As uncomfortable as the situation was, there was something comforting about knowing that Lip didn't have a chance in hell with his best friend, no matter how blatantly obvious he made it that he wanted one.

"You look good tonight," Ian commented lowly so only Mickey could hear. Mickey rolled his eyes and grabbed a shot, throwing it back quickly.

"So, Ian, what brings you here tonight?" Georgie asked, obviously trying her hardest to make this night even more painful than it would've been had Mandy shown up.

"Just a night out with my brother before I start my new job on Monday," Ian answered as Kevin brought over beers for the Gallagher brothers. Ian nodded his thanks and turned back to Georgie's curious expression.

"What're you gonna be doing?" She asked, taking a sip of her own beer.

"Teaching. Tenth grade English," he explained, his knee accidentally knocking against Mickey's.

"Mickey hates teachers. He once kept me up until five in the morning, drunkenly ranting about every single teacher that's ever pissed him off," Georgie said, expertly ignoring the Gallagher that couldn't seem to take his eyes off of her.

Mickey pushed his glasses further up on his nose and sighed, shaking his head. "What are you doing?" He asked his roommate lowly, clenching his jaw.

"I'm talking to Ian," she replied shortly, kicking him under the table.

Mickey sent his best friend another deathly glare before chugging down the rest of his beer and grabbing a few of the shots Georgie had brought over. He was going to need all the alcohol he could get if he was going to make it through the night. Ian was sitting so close and he smelled amazing. There wasn't enough alcohol in the world to relieve the tightness in his jeans that had shown up as soon as Ian sat down.

With the help of three beers and eight shots of tequila, the night went on painlessly for the most part. Georgie was asking Ian too many questions, Ian kept mindlessly knocking his knee against Mickey's, the Gallagher's were way too loud, and Mickey almost felt bad for Lip after watching him so desperately trying to get Georgie's attention to no avail, but other than all of that, the night wasn't awful. They exchanged anecdotes, took turns buying drinks, laughed. It was the closest thing to a social life Mickey ever had. The only person he ever hung out with is Georgie and while he probably wouldn't jump at the opportunity to do this again, he wasn't completely put off in the moment.

"Wait. You were sleeping with your boss at fifteen? Your married-with-kids boss?" Mickey asked, turning his head so he was looking at Ian with a raised eyebrow.

"He was the only one in the neighborhood that I was sure wouldn't tell anyone," Ian shrugged, chuckling softly before taking a sip of his beer.

"Yeah, that's what it was," Lip snorted, shaking his head.

"Fuck off with your theory," Ian laughed, kicking his brother under the table. He casually draped his arm around Mickey's shoulder, causing Mickey to look down at it with furrowed eyebrows. "He thinks I have 'daddy issues,'" Ian explained, drunkenly slurring his words.

Mickey thought that something like Ian putting his arm around him would make him uncomfortable. Maybe it was the alcohol or the comfortability that he had formed around Ian in the two months that they had been fucking, but he didn't really mind it. It was as casual as it would be if Mickey put his arm around Georgie. He'd never do it, but he assumed it would feel the same.

"You definitely have daddy issues. And if you were straight, you would've slept with Linda because you also have mommy issues," Lip said, raising his eyebrows.

He didn't hear the rest of their bickering due to his eyes catching the smirk that seemed to be permanently stuck on Georgie's face. Her eyes flickered to Ian's arm and back to Mickey's eyes, earning her a middle finger from her best friend. She snickered and held her hands up in mock surrender, turning her attention back to Ian to listen to the brothers drunkenly argue about whether or not bad parenting prevents someone from having healthy relationships.

Ian kept his arm planted around Mickey's shoulders, but the latter didn't find it difficult to block it out. The only thing that was difficult to block out was the sexual tension between himself and the red head, and the obvious one sided sexual tension between Lip and Georgie. Lip was trying way too hard to get Georgie to pay attention to him, causing Ian and Mickey to both cringe and joke under their breaths.

"He won't give up until he gets what he wants," Ian murmured in Mickey's ear before picking up a shot and threw it back.

"He's gonna be tryin' for a long time," Mickey chuckled, shaking his head. "He'd need to find her undesirable and have more tattoos."

Ian nodded knowingly. "What are you guys doing here anyway? Never seen you in here before," Ian pointed out.

"Weren't you at college for four years? You miss a lot when you live in California," Mickey replied, raising an eyebrow. "We don't come here a lot cause I hate comin' to this neighborhood but we were supposed to meet my sister here. She bailed."

Mickey found himself furrowing his eyebrows, wondering why he had felt the need to tell him that. He never would've told someone such personal information before and he shouldn't have remembered where Ian went to school. It was definitely the alcohol.

"Mandy?" Ian questioned, smiling brightly when Mickey nodded the affirmative. "I tripped a teacher for putting his dick on her desk in high school," he chuckled.

"Let's talk about literally anything other than my sister," Mickey suggested, finishing off the beer that was in front of him.

"Meet me in the bathroom in five. Let's make sure your trip over here wasn't for nothing," Ian replied, taking another shot before standing up and making his way towards the bathroom.

Ignoring Georgie's pleading looks that were clearly begging him to not leave her alone with the oldest Gallagher brother, exactly five minutes later, he stood up, smirked at his best friend, and followed after the red head. He was definitely relieved his sister hadn't shown up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Twitter: Miilkobitch


	6. Chapter 6

Ian hadn't always wanted to be a teacher. He didn't even know that he wanted it until right after he graduated from high school. Graduating wasn't an expected thing on the south side. Plenty of people got the GED, but hardly anyone had a diploma. The second he got his hands on that diploma was the same second that he knew he wanted to teach. The feeling of pride overwhelmed him but in the best way possible. He wanted more and more kids to feel that, especially on the south side. He wanted to help kids get to that point. He wasn't naive enough to believe that he could help every kid. He knew that teaching at his old high school, if he went in with high expectations, he would be setting himself up for disappointment. All he could hope for was that he could make a difference in at least one kids life. If he did that, he'd be happy.

It had been three weeks since he started his new job and he loved it for the most part. His classes were far from full due to the amount of kids who skipped and his colleagues treated him as though they were still his teachers, but he didn't mind that much because he had a hard time seeing his old teachers as colleagues himself. He noticed how many of the girls in his classes were practically swooning over him and as uncomfortable as it made him, they were engaged in class and that's all that really mattered to him. The guys made it more difficult, most of them just wanting to nap or talk to their other classmates. It was only his fourth day before he had to be the hard ass teacher he never wanted to be and was handing out detentions left and right. He was pretty impressed by how well raising his voice just a little bit worked, but he wouldn't question it.

As he made his way into the teachers lounge, he smiled politely at his colleagues, swerving around them to get to the coffee pot. Coffee was going to be the only that would get him through working with mostly incompetent kids and having to call his old teachers by their first names. He poured himself a cup and took a sip, feeling his body relax just a little bit.

"You drink more coffee than I've ever seen anyone drink, man," Deon, one of the other teachers who was just starting out, had said as he approached, pouring his own cup.

Ian liked Deon. He was cool guy and they got along from the second they met. He was probably the only teacher that Ian could effortlessly have a conversation with. He wasn't from the south side, or even from Illinois, but you wouldn't be able to guess that. He was good at blending in.

"Wouldn't be able to function without it. Having to wake up at 4:30am has been hell," Ian replied, sitting down at the table that was closest to the coffee pot, his colleague following and taking a seat across from him.

"Going to bed early helps," Deon pointed out, raising his eyebrows. "Maybe if you didn't go over to that fuck buddy's house every night, you'd get some sleep," he chuckled.

Ian rolled his eyes. "I don't go over there every night. Every two nights, if that," Ian replied, shrugging his shoulders.

He hadn't told anyone he worked with that he was gay. He wasn't hiding it, but he wasn't flaunting it either. He wouldn't mind if people knew, but he knew that it was still a touchy subject on the south side. He never used pronouns when the rare subject of his sex life came up and he hoped that no one would assume so he wouldn't feel the need to correct them.

"You know, I've had a few fuck buddies and it never turns out how you plan. You always end up falling for them and it gets messy," Deon said, taking a sip from his cup.

"Can't relate," Ian shrugged. "I've had plenty of fuck buddies. Never fell for a single one of them. That's not me," he said, finishing off his coffee.

"Not a single one of them?" Deon asked, chuckling when Ian nodded the affirmative. "How do you manage that?"

"Never been the relationship type, I guess. Never saw the point in it. What do you get out of tying yourself down to one person?" Ian questioned, raising his eyebrows.

"Well, someone will find your body when you die," Deon offered, pressing his back against the back of his chair.

"I've got friends and family," Ian stated simply. "I'm happy as hell, I'm loved, I get laid. I don't need a relationship."

"But when you get older, people your age are gonna find the idea of a fuck buddy less and less appealing. Then you won't get laid."

Ian snorted. "There will always be willing participants. Human nature or whatever. And by the time I'm too old to attract anyone, I won't be able to get it up anyway."

"Okay, fair enough. I have to get things ready for class but this debate isn't over yet," Deon stated, standing up and gathering his things.

Ian wished him a good class and gathered his own belongings, heading in the opposite direction of the Math teacher. He had about an hour before his class would start and even though he wasn't really a morning person, this was his favorite part of his day. Having the silent classroom all to himself, not having to talk to anyone. He didn't often get alone time at home. Living with Lip wasn't horrible but he always had someone over. It was rare that it was just them at the apartment and even more rare that he was there all by himself. Ian treasured every moment alone he had and that one hour before class started was his favorite.

When he walked into his classroom, he shut the door behind him, taking a seat at his desk. He sat his things down and got on his computer, checking his emails. There was only a reminder from his boss for the staff meeting that was being held at the end of the day, so he grabbed a few journals from inside the filing cabinet next to his desk and sat them in front of him. He wanted to assign his students something that would help him keep track of what he needed to work on with them as far a writing went and he figured having them write in a journal about anything they wanted throughout the year was a good place to start.

The journals were uninteresting for the most part. Some of the kids wrote about the events of their day, some wrote song lyrics, some told stories from their childhood, but there was only one journal that really caught his attention. Only one journal that made him want to keep reading. The journal belonged to the girl who always sat in the back corner. She did her work, she paid attention, she was respectful, but she usually kept to herself. She didn't like talking to people. Not in his class, at least. Her name was Riley Bennett and her journal was the only journal that made Ian feel something.

  
_Adults are always telling me that being a teenager is the hardest time of your life and, god, I hope they're right. I can't imagine things being worse than this. I can't imagine having to spend the rest of my life holding her while she cries over idiot guys who don't deserve her and knowing that I could treat her better. I can't imagine having to hold myself back every time I'm right on the edge of telling her for the rest of my life._

_Living in this neighborhood makes it impossible for me to acknowledge these feelings. Having a family like mine makes it even worse. How much harder can it get than having to sit at the kitchen table and listen to your parents go off every time they hear about a new milestone that people like me have reached? Listening to my brother talk about how hot people like me are while also saying that people like me shouldn't be allowed to marry?_

_I haven't even really admitted it to myself yet. I know what I am, but if I say it, or even think it, everything will change. The way I look at myself, the way I carry myself, my whole life. It'll all change. I wish I had been born normal. It would all be so much easier if I was like everyone else. People say that being different makes you special but if you're different in the way that I am, it ruins your life. My family will disown me, my best friend will distance herself from me, I'll be all alone in this world. I'm not naive enough to believe that I'll be able to hide it for the rest of my life. Someone will find out, then everyone will find out, then I'll be all alone. So, what's the point? What's the point in sitting behind this desk and listening to you teach us about Edgar Allen Poe or Shakespeare? What's the point in doing homework? What's the point in even writing in this stupid journal when the people I'm trying to succeed for won't even love me when they find out the truth? The answer is simple. There is no point._

Ian gnawed on his bottom lip as he read, his eyebrows pulling together. Everything he ever felt about his sexuality as a kid came back and all he wanted to do was hug his student, tell her that everything would be okay, and give her someone she could come to when things felt too heavy for her to deal with on her own.

He sighed softly and looked at the clock, taken aback by how quickly time had passed. The kids would be piling in soon, so he gathered the journals and put them back in his filing cabinet, making sure it was securely locked before pulling out the test that the students would be taking from the drawer of his desk.

He spent most of the class thinking about the internal struggle Riley was suffering. He remembered being in her position. Being a scared gay kid on the south side and having no one to turn to. No one to tell without the fear of being rejected or worse. Unlike Riley, Ian had his family. They didn't understand because they weren't gay, but he could vent to them about the struggles that came with being gay in this neighborhood.

His eyes continued to flicker over to Riley throughout the hour, wanting to say something, anything that might help her, but his mind went blank. He knew that there was nothing he could say to make her situation any less shitty. He knew because he had been there and there was nothing anyone could say to him either.

He took a deep breath when the bell rang, running his hand over his face. "Put your tests on my desk on your way out," he addressed the class before his eyes fell on the girl that he was hurting so badly for. "Riley, could you hang back for a second?"

She looked confused for a moment, but nodded, taking the necessary steps to approach his desk and place her test on top of everyone else's. When the rest of the class had left, he leaned back in his chair and rubbed the back of his neck.

"What's this about? Am I in trouble for something?" She asked, almost seeming hopeful.

"No, you didn't do anything. I just... I wanted to talk to you about something," he clarified, resting his elbows on his desk. "Were you aware that I would be reading the journals?"

Riley shrugged a little. "I assumed. You said you wanted to get a sense of our writing abilities. Don't think you'd be able to do that without reading a little."

Ian nodded and pursed his lips. "Alright. I just want you to know that I'm here. If you ever need anything or just want to talk. I've been where you are," he explained, looking into her eyes sincerely. "You're not alone."

She scuffed her shoe on the floor, avoiding his gaze and nodded. "Okay," she answered shortly. "Can I go? I have Chemistry."

"Yeah, of course. Do you need a late pass?" He asked, grabbing a pen and a sticky note.

She shook her head. "No, thank you," she replied, walking as fast as she could without it being considered running and exited the room.

Ian pulled his lips in between his teeth and pulled his phone out, opening his recent texts with Mickey.

Ian (8:03 am): You busy tonight?

Mickey (8:04 am): Nope

Ian (8:04 am): You are now. What time should I come over?

Mickey (8:05 am): Whenever. Now leave me alone. I'm trying to sleep, asshole.

Ian chuckled a little and shoved his phone back into his pocket. After the stressful morning he'd had, the end of the day couldn't come fast enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Twitter: Miilkobitch


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, Shelby is an absolute goddess for helping me with this chapter and reminding me to chill. I love you <3

Mickey had his head thrown back, his eyebrows furrowed in pleasure as Ian's mouth sunk down on his cock, his fingers buried deep inside of him. Ian had seemed to be in a shitty mood since he walked in the door and Mickey was grateful for it. The chances that Ian would take his frustrations out on him made him impeccably harder and he couldn't wait for Ian to rail into him.

He let out a low moan, rolling his hips upwards, the tip of his cock hitting the back of Ian's throat. He'd been thinking about Ian pounding into him for days. Their conflicting schedules had him more cock hungry than he had ever been. Not being able to have it made him want it more. He'd tried to scratch his itch by fucking some random guy he had met at the bar but the guy was sloppy and clearly had no clue what to do with an ass. Ian didn't have that problem, though. He turned him out every single time and didn't stick around to bask in the after glow.

Mickey was blissed out, enjoying the feel of Ian's fingers digging into him when the latter stopped abruptly, making Mickey groan in frustration. He had been waiting for this for days and he wasn't in the mood to deal with this. He just wanted to get fucked and get on with his day. Of course, the red head was going to make that task more complicated than it had to be.

"The fuck, man? Hurry up," Mickey pushed, looking down at his fuck buddy through his glasses.

Ian met his eyes and shook his head, seeming to break the thoughts he had been having. "My bad," he replied, slipping his fingers out of Mickey's hole. The action caused Mickey to groan quietly, not particularly enjoying the empty feeling.

Ian reached to the ground, pulling a condom out of his discarded jeans and ripped the wrapper open with his teeth. Once the condom was on and he had slicked up his cock with lube, he roughly grabbed Mickey's hips and flipped him onto his stomach. Mickey grunted, biting his lip and pulled his glasses off, able to tell that Ian wasn't going to go easy on him. He set the glasses on his night stand and let out an accidental moan when Ian's hand left a hard smack on his ass, gripping the cheek tightly afterwards.

Mickey propped his lower half up on his knees, impatiently waiting for Ian's next move. Before he got the chance to complain about Ian's pattern of taking too long, the stretch of the red head's cock had him moaning lowly, his bottom lip rolling between his teeth. Ian's thrusts were rough and his hands were gripping Mickey's hips hard enough that he'd probably end up with bruises later on. Whatever it was that had Ian so pissed off, Mickey was happy it happened.

"Fuck, Gallagher," Mickey breathed, pushing his ass into Ian's thrusts. He grabbed the pillow that was next to his head, biting into it hard.

"Never had anyone fuck you like this, have you? Never had anyone make you feel like they were splitting you in fucking half," Ian said, ramming his cock right into Mickey's prostrate.

Mickey groaned, tightly gripping the sheets in his fists. He was too blissed out to form a coherent thought, let alone have the ability to reply. He could already feel the ache that he would have in his ass for the next week forming, becoming more prominent every time Ian snapped his hips forward.

"Tell me I'm the best. Tell me no one can pound this ass like I can," Ian demanded, landing another hard smack on the same cheek that he had earlier. It was like Mickey had no control of his mouth. He wanted to give Ian what he wanted, wanted to bring him as much pleasure as the taller man was bringing him but talking wasn't something he could manage in that moment.

Ian's pace slowed down significantly and his thrusts weren't as rough, causing Mickey's eyes to flutter open. He push himself up on his hands, looking over his shoulder at the red head with raised eyebrows.

"The fuck are doing?" He asked, quickly becoming frustrated. He hadn't called Ian over for some slow and sensual shit. He wanted get fucked thoroughly and Ian, ironically, was getting in the way of that.

"Admit it. Admit that my cock is the best you've ever had," Ian said, keeping his thrusts slow and long. Mickey groaned as Ian reached forward, wrapping his hand firmly around the shorter man's neck and pulled him up so his back was pressed firmly against Ian's chest. "Admit it," he breathed hotly in Mickey's ear, using his other hand to reach down and stroke Mickey's dick slowly.

Mickey let out a shaky breath, nodding slowly. "Got the best cock. Know how to use it," Mickey said, resting his head back on Ian's shoulder. "So fuckin' use it."

Ian pushed Mickey forward so he was flat on his stomach and made himself parallel to the brunette, picking up the brutal pace had before, biting and sucking on the left side of Mickey's neck.

"Fuck," Mickey groaned, squeezing his eyes shut and biting down hard on his bottom lip. He lifted his hips as much as he could, the angle causing Ian to continuously brush his prostate. With every thrust, his cock rubbed against the bed, bringing him closer and closer to the edge.

Ian groaned lowly, not stopping his attack on Mickey's neck. He seemed to be intent on marking Mickey up but the latter didn't much care. After the pounding Ian was giving him, in the moment, Mickey figured the red head could do whatever the hell he wanted.

"Gonna cum," Ian mumbled, snapping his hips as hard as he could.

Mickey nodded in agreement, reaching down to grasp his cock, stroking it quickly. Half a dozen thrusts later, they came in unison, groaning into each other's ears. Once they finished, Ian rolled off of Mickey, laying flat on his back. They lay there, their heavy breathing being the only thing filling the silence. Once they both caught their breaths, Mickey reached over and patted Ian's thigh with a chuckle.

"Good job, man. See ya later," Mickey said, sitting up and grabbed a cigarette from his night stand, lighting it, and taking a deep inhale.

Ian got up and put his clothes back on silently, leaving without a second glance. Mickey smiled, enjoying the feeling of his sore muscles when he stretched them out. He was more than happy to endure the tension for the next few days. Once he finished off his cigarette, he stubbed it out and stood up, grabbing some discarded basketball shorts and put them on, making his way out of his room only to be met by Georgie leaning against the wall outside of his door. Mickey gave her a wide grin as he walked by her, going straight to the kitchen to grab a beer.

"Do you think you could be a little quieter next time? I encourage your sex life because it keeps you in a good mood, but I'd rather not hear it," Georgie said, following after him.

Mickey smirked as he opened the bottle in his hand and took a swig of the bitter liquid. "You try getting railed like that and staying quiet," he reasoned, looking at her pointedly.

Georgie rolled her eyes. "Don't need the details. Already know he has the best cock," she replied, raising his eyebrows. "The whole fucking building now knows that Ian has the best cock and he knows how to use it."

Mickey snickered and shrugged his shoulders. "Whoops," he answered, making his way to the bathroom. He shut the door behind him and stopped in front of the mirror when a mark on the right side of his neck caught his attention. He furrowed his eyebrows, specifically remembering Ian sucking on the left side and when he turned his head, he confirmed his memory.

Running his fingers over the mark that Ian had left, Mickey smirked, realizing exactly why Ian had been acting so dominant. The guy from the bar must've left the one on the right. He went to his room and grabbed his phone, sending a text to Ian.

Mickey (2:41 pm): Maybe I should get hickeys from other guys more often

He put his phone in his pocket, sighing blissfully. Jealous Ian was something he'd keep in his back pocket for an especially bad day, that's for sure. He furrowed his eyebrows when he heard Georgie calling for him with panic in her voice. He hurried back to the kitchen, seeing that Georgie had tears in her eyes.

"The fuck is going on?" He asked as she raised the jar that they kept their tips in and it was empty and he was sure his heart dropped out of his chest, realizing what had Georgie so distraught.

"The money. It's all gone," she mumbled, shaking her head. A few tears rolled down her cheeks as he rushed to the freezer, yanking everything out and throwing it on the ground. He didn't know why he was doing it. There was no way any of the money just fell out into the freezer but his rage was overpowering logic.

"Son of a bitch," he muttered, slamming the freezer door and started pacing. "I'm gonna kill him," he declared, going to his room and grabbed a shirt. He knew exactly who had stolen the money and he cursed himself for being so damn stupid. He never should've let him in the apartment. He put his shirt on, along his with his socks and shoes. "I'll be back," he called out to Georgie as he left the apartment, slamming the door behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Twitter: Miilkobitch


	8. Chapter 8

When he approached the door of Ian's apartment, he banged on it with the side of his fist, clenching his jaw. When the door opened, he didn't miss a beat. His fist collided with Ian's jaw, making the taller man stumble backwards. Mickey welcomed himself into the apartment and kicked the door shut, grabbing Ian by the front of his shirt.

"Mickey, what the fuck?!" Ian grunted as Mickey slammed his back against the door.

"Where the fuck is it?" Mickey practically growled, breathing heavily through his nose, not taking his eyes off of Ian.

"Where is what? I don't know what the fuck you're talking about," Ian said exasperatedly, pushing at Mickey's chest but the brunet didn't budge.

"Bullshit!" Mickey replied, bringing his knee up to Ian's crotch hard enough for it to hurt just a little, causing Ian to groan and bend over. "I want the money back. Now."

Once Ian pulled himself together, he looked at Mickey with furrowed eyebrows. "Are you really accusing me of stealing from you?"

"Are you saying you didn't?" Mickey asked pointedly, taking a step closer to Ian. "That'd be pretty funny seeing as you're the only new person hanging out. Never had our shit stolen before and then you start coming around and suddenly, the money is nowhere to be found. Doesn't seem like much of a fuckin' coincidence to me."

Ian snorted and pushed Mickey away from him. "I haven't been 'hanging out,'" Ian told him, crossing his arms over his chest. "I fuck you and then I leave. I go straight from the front door, to your room, and back again. I never touched your fuckin' money," Ian finished, keeping an impressive poker face.

Mickey nudged his nostril with his knuckle and chuckled bitterly. "It's real convenient that you don't have a witness today."

"In case you forgot, most of that money was once my money. Why the fuck would I steal it back? If you wanna point your finger at someone, maybe you should check the guy who you seem to be so comfortable with that he's allowed to leave marks all over your body. I didn't take shit from you," Ian replied, walking pass the shorter man and making his way to the couch.

Mickey gnawed on his lip and thought it over. He hadn't watched the other guy leave either and Georgie was at work. He cursed under his breath and pinched the bridge of his nose. He made his way to the kitchen and pulled a pack of frozen peas from the freezer, taking them over to Ian and pressed them against his cheek. Ian looked up at him and rolled his eyes, snatching the bag from him. Mickey was clearly on thin ice with the red head.

Ian picked up the remote from the coffee table and hit play on whatever he was watching. Mickey pursed his lips and plopped down next to Ian, causing the latter to raise an eyebrow and look over at him. He shrugged and turned to the TV.

"Ah, Law and Order. Cool. Georgie and I watch it every year on our birthdays," Mickey informed him, getting comfortable.

Ian turned his head back to the TV and nodded slowly. "Lip and I do the same thing. Talk about a fuckin' coincidence, huh?" Ian answered, sarcasm dripping off of every word.

Mickey sighed softly, pulling his phone out and texted Georgie, letting her know it'd be a while before he made it home and to lock the door. He then ordered a pizza to Ian's apartment while Ian miserably failed at pretending he was unbothered by it all.

"Should I pay for that? You know, since I have your money?" Ian asked once Mickey hung up, tossing the bag of peas onto the coffee table.

Mickey smirked a little and moved so he was on his knees in front of Ian, palming him through his sweatpants. Mickey could tell that Ian was putting his all into keeping a straight face and the former made it his mission to get Ian to drop the act. He continued to palm for a while longer, curling his fingers around the waistband of Ian's sweats once he was semi-hard and pulled them down until they were half way down his thighs. Ian broke just a fraction, biting his lip when Mickey wrapped his hand around his cock.

"Think I have you figured out, Gallagher," Mickey stated, running his thumb over Ian's tip.

"How so?" Ian inquired, raising an eyebrow as he watched every move Mickey's hand made. "You think having sex regularly and the one time we've hung out is enough for you to know me?"

Mickey shrugged. "I know enough," he replied, leaning forward and licked the precum off of Ian's slit. "You're insatiable as hell. Doesn't take much to get you out of a pissy mood," he explained, finally taking Ian's cock into his mouth, sliding his head down Ian's length until he covered half of it.

"A pissy mood? Seriously? You just fucking attacked me and accused me of stealing from you. I'm not in a pissy mood. I'm fucking furious," Ian countered but he didn't make a move to stop Mickey. He put his head back against the couch and closed his eyes.

"Won't be for long," Mickey replied once he pulled off and lowered his head to lick softly at Ian's balls.

"Don't count on that," Ian murmured, pushing his fingers into Mickey's hair and tugged a little harder than necessary, causing Mickey let out a short grunt. He slowly trailed his tongue back up the length of Ian's cock, swirling his tongue around the tip gently. "You punched me and kicked me in the nuts and you think now is the time to fucking tease me?" Ian asked, looking down at Mickey expectantly.

"Teasing really makes all the difference. You'll cum harder if you're teased first," Mickey shrugged, smirking a little when Ian's leg twitched as the former sucked softly right under the tip.

Ian sighed heavily and lifted his hips, tightening his hold on Mickey's hair and put his lips on the tip. "Come the fuck on," Ian pleaded, licking his lips. Mickey chuckled softly and complied, engulfing Ian's cock once again. He bobbed his head steadily, going further down every time he lowered it.

Ian moaned lowly and put his head back again, loosening his grip on Mickey's hair but didn't move his hand. It was clear that he was finally feeling cathartic, just as Mickey expected. Mickey knew Ian was close when his stomach started to quiver like it always did when he gave him head and Mickey was prepared to take his entire load until there were three quick knocks on the door.

Mickey grunted and pulled away, wiping the collected spit from his chin and went to stand up, earning himself a disbelieving look from the red head. "Pizza's here," Mickey explained with a shrug.

"It can fucking wait," Ian replied before shouting, "hold the fuck on," loud enough for the pizza guy to hear him.

"Can't make him wait," Mickey told him, making his way to the door. "If he waits long, I have to give him a bigger tip. I don't know if you heard, but I'm fuckin' broke." Mickey opened the door as he pulled his wallet out, setting the right amount and tip on top of the box. The pizza guy took the money as Mickey grabbed the box from him and the latter shut the door, going to kitchen and sat the box on the table. "Get it while its hot," he said, taking a piece out and started stuffing his face.

He was half way through his first slice when he heard moaning behind him. He turned to face his fuck buddy with a raised eyebrow, nonplussed to see him stroking himself. The only thing he could think to do is chuckle lightly before putting his pizza down. He grabbed a beer from the fridge and took a long sip once it was open to wash his mouth of the pizza. He made his way over to Ian and dropped to his knees in front of him.

"My bad," Mickey chuckled, swatting Ian's hand away and wrapped his lips around Ian's cock, bobbing his head rhythmically with his eye on the prize.

Ian's stomach started quivering again and Mickey held back a smile, lowering his head until his nose was buried in Ian pubes. Ian let out a series of low groans as he came down Mickey's throat, proving Mickey's theory that teasing really did make you cum harder. Mickey hollowed his cheeks, sucking Ian clean. He pulled away with a _pop_ and got to his feet, patting Ian's thigh. He made his way back to the kitchen, putting pizza on plates and grabbed two beers, taking it all to the living room as Ian put his cock back into his sweatpants.

"Here, Pizza Dick," Mickey chuckled, handing a plate to Ian and sat down next to him when he took it.

"You're still a prick. Don't give a fuck how good you are at giving head. Not gonna be over this for awhile," Ian informed him, taking a bite of his pizza.

Mickey nodded. "Yeah. I'm a prick," he agreed, sitting back as they both got sucked into Law and Order once again.

Little did Mickey know, Ian wasn't mad at all anymore. Little did Ian know, Mickey was feeling awful. Mickey sighed almost silently and ignored the burning urge to move closer to the red head, distracting himself by stuffing his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Twitter: Miilkobitch


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delayed update! It's been a rough few weeks, but I'm getting back on track!

Mickey lay on his bed with a heavy sigh, running his hands over his face after he pulled his glasses off. He wasn't sure what he was going to do. There was no way he'd be able to find the guy from the bar and even if he could find him, it had been almost seventy-three hours since the money went missing. The money was long gone and Mickey was officially late on the rent.

He'd been broke before and being a waiter didn't equal wealth by any means, but ever since he moved out on his own, he was never once late on the rent. He always made sure he had enough to pay his landlord, even if it meant living off of ketchup packets for a week. He took pride in his ability to find ways to get his bills paid on time. His streak was ending, though. He just hoped he could get his landlord to give him an extension.

Georgie was another product of his worries. It wasn't just his ass on the line, but hers, too. If she ended up homeless, he was the one to blame. He was the one who brought the guy into their apartment, he was the one who stayed in bed when the guy left instead of following him out, he was the one to blame for the shit show at hand. He hated himself for putting her in this position.

Mickey sighed softly when he heard his bedroom door open, not bothering to open his eyes. If he opened his eyes, he'd see the look of pity on his best friends face when it should be complete disgust and disappointment. He couldn't stand the way she had been looking at him recently. He needed her to be mad, he needed her to yell, he needed her to treat him like he fucked up because he did. He hated that it was in Georgie's nature to be kind and understanding.

"You gotta stop beating yourself up, buddy," Georgie said as she lay down next to him on her back.

Mickey rolled his eyes behind his lids and shook his head. "We'd still have our rent money if it weren't for me. I deserve to have the shit kicked out of me," he replied, sitting up and grabbing his glasses. "Don't worry, though. I'm working doubles and weekends, I'm gonna sell some shit, I'm gonna get us out of this."

"Do you plan on sleeping? What about Ian?" She asked, lightly kicking his thigh.

Mickey furrowed his eyebrows. "What about him? What does he have to do with this? I already told you he didn't do it."

"No, I was asking when you're gonna make time for him," Georgie corrected, sitting up and crossing her legs.

"I'll get laid when this shit is handled. My life doesn't revolve around getting plowed."

"Drop the act, Mick. I know you. What you have with Ian isn't just sex. If it was, you would've dropped him by now. You don't keep long term fuck buddies," Georgie sighed softly. "You've never lied to me before. You're not lying to anyone but yourself at this point."

"Fuck off," Mickey scoffed, shaking his head. "Ian's nothing. He means nothing. The only thing I care about right now is getting our rent money."

"Alright," Georgie said knowingly, standing up. "I have to get to work. When you wanna admit what you're really feeling, I'll be around," she told him, leaning down and kissed his cheek before walking out of the room.

Mickey groaned and shoved his glasses onto his face. Georgie was way too nice and way too smart for Mickey's liking.

_______________________________________

Ian wasn't sure what compelled him to do this. Everything about it screamed, "bad idea," but Ian couldn't stop himself from doing something. As he leaned against the wall outside of Donté's, puffing on his cigarette, he tried to talk himself out of going inside.

"He's gonna be pissed. It's just gonna lead to Mickey coming to your apartment and you're gonna get hit again," Ian mumbled to himself, leaning his head back against the wall with his eyes shut. "But if getting punched is the worst thing that happens, it'll be worth it," he replied to himself, flicking the ashes off the end of his cigarette. "Why am I even doing this? It doesn't make any sense."

Ian sighed heavily and dragged his hand down his face. When he opened his eyes, he was faced with a young woman, probably just a few years older than him, looking at him like he was the craziest person she'd ever come across.

"Are you... talking to yourself? And replying to yourself?" She asked with furrowed brows.

"Yeah, fuck off," Ian mumbled, flicking the butt of his cigarette away and pushing himself away from the wall. He opened the door of the restaurant and stepped inside, letting out one last shaky breath. He stopped once he was on the other side of the door, scanning the restaurant for his fuck buddy's best friend. It took less than five seconds for him to find her, beelining straight to the register and leaned across the counter. "Hey," he said casually.

She raised an eyebrow, looking away from her task to focus on him. "Mickey's not working right now. He has a shift later. You can probably catch him at the apartment before he has to start getting ready."

"Yeah, I'm here to see you," Ian replied, reaching into his back pocket. "I have something for you."

"Well, consider me intrigued," she chuckled lightly, watching Ian's every move.

Ian sighed softly and pulled a cheque for eight hundred dollars out of his wallet and handed it to her. "I know, as his best friend, you're obligated to tell him where and from whom you got the money and I'm willing to suffer the consequences after you tell him. Just make sure you guys use the money," Ian pleaded before gnawing on his lip.

Georgie looked the cheque over, furrowing her brows. "Why? Why would you help us out? You're just the guy who gets Mickey off, right?"

Ian nodded. "Yeah, that's all I am. I don't really know why I'm doing it. I tried not to, believe me, but I guess my conscience is just a little more stubborn than I am."

"Alright, I'll run it by him but if he punches you again, I will not be held responsible," she shrugged, putting the cheque in her apron.

"He can beat me to a pulp, I don't care. I wrote it out to you so don't let Mickey try to dictate what happens to it. Use it as a last resort, a first choice, I don't care. Just don't take it out of the running," he told her, tapping the counter before turning on his heel and making his way outside.

When Ian got home, he shut the door behind him and leaned against it, sighing heavily. All he wanted in that moment was to take a hot shower and go to sleep. He wanted the day to be over and hope that Georgie wouldn't tell Mickey where she got the money. He hoped that they would use it.

"The fuck have you been?" His brother asked, causing Ian's attention to drift to the kitchen.

Ian ran a hand over his face and followed Lip's voice, leaning against the island. "Nowhere. Just had some stuff to do after work," Ian answered, waving his hand as if to dismiss the conversation.

Lip raised an eyebrow, snorting slightly as he brought his beer to his lips and took a sip. "Hanging out with Mickey?"

"Not exactly," Ian chuckled, rolling his eyes. "I was with Georgie," he explained further, shrugging his shoulders.

"His roommate?" Lip clarified, tilting his head to the side. When Ian nodded, he asked, "Why would you be with her?"

Ian focused on the pattern on the island, avoiding his brothers gaze. "I, uh, owed her some money."

"For what? You got a gambling problem all of a sudden?" Lip chuckled, grabbing another beer from the fridge and handed it to the younger Gallagher brother.

Ian sighed and took the beer, opening it and quickly took a sip. "No. It has a little something to do with this," Ian told him, pointing at the fading bruise on his jaw. "Mickey and Georgie had their rent money stolen. Mickey thought it was me."

"You... stole their rent money?"

"No," Ian shook his head vehemently, finally looking up at his brother. "No, Mickey thought I did. I just replaced the money."

"Why did you do that? You're not making any sense," Lip said, pulling a stool out from under the island and sat down. "I have a few theories, of course."

"Of course you do," Ian chuckled, shaking his head. "I don't know why I did it, okay? They're just good people. Especially Georgie. They shouldn't have to deal with that shit and now, I have the ability to help."

"Or you have feelings for Mickey," Lip replied with a smirk. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but you've never given any of your fuck buddies anything but an orgasm. Now you're giving them money?"

"That's still true. I didn't give Mickey anything. I gave the money to Georgie," Ian replied before taking another sip of his beer.

"Put in a lot of effort there to avoid admitting you have feelings," Lip chuckled, slapping Ian's shoulder with the back of his hand playfully.

"Christ, Lip," Ian sighed, shaking his head. "I don't and will never have feelings for him. We fuck and that's it. It's not like we're sticking around after we bust our loads, cuddle on the couch, and binge watch some lame show together." Not technically a lie.

"Whatever you say, little brother," Lip replied, walking towards the living room. "Ian and Mickey sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G," he sang under his breath, causing Ian to pick up an apple and throw it at his brother.

Lip laughed when Ian missed, hurrying off to his room. Ian hated his brother for being right about everything. It had turned into a real pain the ass.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Twitter: Miilkobitch


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a heads up, anyone who is also reading David and Lisa, I'm going to be taking a break from writing it until I finish this. Writing two fics at once was way too much for me. I WILL be finishing it, though, and I have even more fics to come after that one. I hope you enjoy the chapter!

Mickey was sat on the couch, counting the money he had gotten from selling his old guitar when Georgie came in from her shift. He grunted a short 'hey' and continued counting, sighing softly. Two hundred dollars was not going to do it. He stacked the money and handed it to his roommate.

"Hold onto that. I don't trust myself with any money right now," Mickey told her, watching her look at the money skeptically.

"Is this legal money?" She questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Fuck off," Mickey chuckled. "Yeah, it's legal. I sold my old guitar."

"The landlord will be happy to hear about that. He's been complaining about your awful angry guitar playing since we moved in," Georgie chuckled. "You really loved that guitar, though."

"I'll get another one later and continue to piss off Harry in a few months. Got more important shit to worry about right now," Mickey sighed, grabbing his wallet. "Gotta get to work. I'll be back later."

"Wait," Georgie said, grabbing his arm gently, causing Mickey to raise his eyebrows in question. "Call in sick."

"I can't do that. Our asses on the line here, Sunshine."

"There's no reason for you to work yourself to death. I got the money, Mick. You can take a break."

Mickey furrowed his eyebrows. "What do you mean? It's been a week. There's no way you made over seven hundred dollars in tips in a week."

"Don't worry about how I got the money. Just know that I got it and you can finally relax," Georgie smiled and turned, going to the kitchen.

Mickey was nothing short of determined to find out where she got the money so he followed behind her, grabbing her arm.

"Where'd the money come from? Did you sell yourself to a John or some shit?"

"Jesus Christ, Mickey," she snorted, shaking her head. "No. I didn't prostitute myself. Though, if I had, I'd be worth so much more than eight hundred dollars."

Mickey pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, shaking his head. "How did you manage to make eight hundred dollars in a week?"

Georgie pursed her lips and ran her fingers through her hair. "Ian wrote me a check. It's not a big deal."

Mickey raised his eyebrows, clenching his teeth. He almost growled when he said, "Ian did what?"

"Ian wrote me a check, and I'm gonna use it. He wrote it out to me so there's nothing you can do about it. We need the money, Mick," she sighed, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Nothing I can do about it?" He chuckled, pulling his phone out to check the time. He was going to be late for the first time since he got the job, but that was a risk he was willing to take. He nodded, grabbing his keys from the counter. "Second time in a week. When will this fuckhead learn to mind his own god damn business," he grumbled to himself and left the apartment, ignoring Georgie's calls of protest from behind him.

The walk to Ian's apartment felt equal parts slow and fast. He couldn't get there fast enough but his irritation made it seem as though no time had passed at all by the time he was banging on the door, breathing heavily through his nose. He heard movement on the other side of the door and banged on it again when it was taking too long to open.

"Open the damn door, Gallagher," Mickey said loud enough for everyone on the floor to hear.

"Are you gonna hit me again?" Ian asked through the door, obviously looking at the older man through the peephole.

Mickey sighed heavily and closed his eyes. "No," he replied tightly, crossing his arms over his chest.

It was quiet for a moment before the red head asked tentatively, "Promise?"

"Fuckin' Christ," Mickey mumbled, shaking his head. "I fuckin' promise. Open the damn door."

Mickey heard the door being unlocked before it started opening slowly, Ian peeking around it to look at Mickey. The dark haired man rolled his eyes and pushed the door open, causing Ian's back to collide with the wall.

"What the fuck were you thinking?" Mickey asked as he paced the foyer. "I don't know what you think this shit is. You're not my fuckin' sugar daddy, you're not my caretaker, you're not shit to me. Why did you think that shit was acceptable?" He asked, talking with his hands more than he usually did, causing Ian to flinch with every movement. Mickey couldn't help but notice how pathetic the younger man looked in that moment and he felt immense satisfaction from it because the way Ian looked was exactly how Mickey felt.

Ian collected himself, moving so that he was standing in front of Mickey. "If you would just hear me out,-" the taller man started but Mickey quickly cut him off.

"No, you hear me out, okay? I don't need your fuckin' charity. I can take care of my own shit and I don't need to dip my hand in your pocket to do it." Mickey took a deep breath and tried to calm himself but his anger flared again when Ian tried to speak.

"If you would just-"

"I'm not fuckin' finished! I work my ass off every day, I work doubles, I pick up other people's shifts, I work every possible second that I can to provide for myself. I don't need your help and I sure as fuck don't need your god damn money." He didn't even need a mirror to know that his face was turning red. He clenched his fist, needing to ground himself so he could follow through with his promise of not decking the red head.

He felt his phone buzz in his pocket over and over again. He put all of his efforts into ignoring it but the more it vibrated, the more irritated he got. He groaned loudly and pulled his phone out, seeing a long thread of texts from his roommate.

Georgie (2:13pm): Did you kill him?

Georgie (2:13pm): If you did, I'll be your Alibi.

Georgie (2:14pm): We probably can't afford a lawyer so if it's a messy crime scene, I'll help you hide the body and clean up.

Georgie (2:14pm): I'd rather not do that, but I will.

Georgie (2:15pm): We're still keeping the money, though. We can figure out our story about that later.

Mickey clenched his jaw and considered throwing his phone against the wall only to get more frustrated when he realized he wouldn't be able to afford to get a new one. The phone buzzed in his hand with another text from Georgie.

Georgie (2:16pm): Seriously, did you kill him?

Mickey angrily shut his phone off and put it in his pocket. "You're a god damn prick, you know that? Whatever shit that was going between us is done, you got that?" He told Ian, going around him to reach for the doorknob.

"Will you just fucking listen to me?!" Ian shouted, pushing Mickey away from the door and getting in his face. The shorter man raised his eyebrows, crossing his arms over his chest. "I get it, alright? If someone had pulled this shit with me, I'd be pissed. I wasn't raised to take or even give handouts. I was raised to value a fuckin' penny and I know that's how you grew up, too. How could someone not grow up that way on the south side? I know I bruised your ego or whatever and I'm sorry about that. I'm not sorry about giving you guys the money, though," he paused, running a hand over his face. "I don't know why I did it. All I know is that I had the ability to help and I couldn't stand by and watch the two of you struggle. You don't have to pay me back, but if it would make you feel better, you can. You're obviously not a fan of favors."

Mickey knocked his knuckle against his nostril softly, avoiding Ian's eyes. His blood was still boiling but he didn't have it in him to fight anymore. Though he would never admit to it out loud, Ian was right. His ego was bruised. There was nothing Mickey hated more than giving up his independence. He spent eighteen years depending on his father. Depending on Terry to stay out of jail, depending on Terry to get bills paid, depending on Terry to stay in jail once he was old enough to do shit on his own. He finally got out and promised himself that he'd never depend on anyone ever again. He sighed heavily when he heard a crack of thunder and shook his head.

"Better get out of here before it start pouring," he murmured, reaching for the door knob again, only to have Ian intervene for the second time that day, the red head's hand gently grabbing Mickey's wrist. "You really need to stop doing that."

"Stay. Just until the storm passes. Lip is gonna be out until tomorrow so you don't have to worry about him. I have a fuck ton of weed and you'll be free to yell at me for as long as you want," Ian negotiated, letting his hand fall away from the shorter man's wrist.

"Nah, man. I got work," Mickey protested with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Call in sick," Ian pressed. "You don't really need the money anymore."

Mickey glared at him, letting Ian know that it was way too fucking soon for jokes. He was about to rip into him again when another crack of thunder sounded through the apartment and it would've been way too easy for Ian to make a joke about that so the brunet kept his mouth shut.

Ian rolled his eyes and grabbed Mickey by the front of his shirt, slamming his back against the door. "You're a really hard man to please, you know that?" Ian murmured, his eyes raking over Mickey's face. Mickey swallowed, trying to even out his breathing. For the first time, he felt immensely intimidated by Ian and he couldn't decide if he enjoyed it or not. "Just stay. I'll make it worthwhile," Ian continued quietly, taking Mickey's bottom lip between his teeth, pulling on it gently before letting it fall back into place.

Mickey raised his eyebrows at the boldness of his fuck buddy's actions, wishing he could be pissed off about it but he liked it more than he would ever care to admit. He ignored that the gesture was much too close to a kiss for his liking and nodded in surrender, figuring that Ian wasn't the only one who could be won over with the promise of sex.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Twitter: Miilkobitch


	11. Chapter 11

"Fuck," Ian breathed as he watched Mickey bounce rhythmically on his cock. He reached back and grabbed two handfuls of his fuck buddy's ass, pulling his own bottom lip between his teeth. He let out low groan as he felt that familiar tightness form, his head falling back against the pillows. "I'm gonna cum," he said, letting out a breath of relief when Mickey nodded his agreement and arched his back as he began to fill the condom. Moments later, Ian was hit in the face with spurts of Mickey's cum and he greedily licked it off his lips.

Mickey chuckled, using his thumb to wipe away a drip of cum that had landed on Ian's eyelid. "My bad," he said, sliding off of Ian's cock and fell flat on his back next to the red head.

"You're so helpful," Ian said sarcastically, grabbing the wash cloth that they had used the other two times they fucked that day to wipe the rest of his face off.

Mickey shrugged unapologetically before stretching out his muscles and getting comfortable. Ian rolled his eyes playfully and sat up, pulling a baggie of weed out of his bedside table. He could feel Mickey's eyes on him as he broke the weed up and picked the stems out. He looked over his shoulder briefly, smirking when Mickey averted his eyes upon being caught.

"You do that a lot," Ian stated nonchalantly as he packed his pipe.

"Do what?"

Ian snorted at Mickey's attempts to hide his attraction. "Look at me. You do it all the time. You watch me leave your apartment, you don't turn your back on me until you absolutely have to, you did it just a second ago."

Mickey scoffed. "Fuck off, I do not."

"Alright," Ian chuckled, grabbing his lighter and sat back against the head board. He took a long hit from the pipe, holding the smoke in his lungs for as long as possible before blowing it out. His eyes flicked over to Mickey and caught him staring again. "You're doing it again."

Mickey glared at the side of Ian's face and grabbed the pipe from the red head. "I'm not high enough to deal with you."

Ian turned his head with a smirk as he watched Mickey lick his lips before he pressed them to the pipe. "We've smoked quite a bit. How high do you have to be?" He asked, getting between the shorter man's legs and dragged his teeth over his nipple.

"Higher than this," Mickey stated after he released a cloud of smoke, running his fingers through Ian's bright tresses. "You're ready to go again already?"

Ian shook his head, flicking his tongue over the same nipple. "Nah. Just like doing this shit cause it makes you shiver," Ian chuckled as he made Mickey do just that after he bit the nipple once more.

Mickey rolled his eyes and pressed the pipe to Ian's lips, not wanting the red head to move but knowing that he wouldn't be able to get a proper hit in the position he was in. Ian inhaled deeply and moaned lowly, enjoying the burning feeling in his lungs. He released the smoke, blowing it in Mickey's face. The older man inhaled what he could, smiling a little at the realization that this was the most relaxed he'd been in a week.

"Get on your hands and knees," Mickey told his fuck buddy, wiggling a little to get out from under Ian.

Ian furrowed his brows, looking at Mickey in confusion. "I don't bottom," he stated, falling onto his back.

"Just do it Seamus," Mickey replied, patting Ian's thigh with the back of his hand.

Ian snorted, turning his head to look at the shorter man. "Is that a leprechaun joke?"

"Yup," he nodded, pushing Ian so he would roll onto his stomach and put the pipe on the nightstand before he got behind him. "Hands and knees. Not gonna put my dick in you. Just trust me."

Ian sighed softly and did as he was told, knowing that if there was anyone he could trust when it came to sex, it was Mickey. "I'm not even short. That was a stupid joke," he grumbled and found himself biting his lip as Mickey began to knead his ass and spread his cheeks apart. He sucked in a sharp breath when Mickey spit directly on his hole.

"Could you at least tell me what-" Ian cut himself off with a moan when he felt Mickey's tongue lap up the spit and then the older man pushed it into the tight ring of muscles. "Fuck," Ian mumbled, licking his lips.

He'd never eaten an ass, nor had he ever had his eaten. He never even considered it but in that moment, he decided he'd have to take some time later to kick himself for never exploring it. He leaned on his elbows, putting all of his energy into holding back his moans. He loved how it felt, but his pride refused to let Mickey know that.

With every twist and turn of Mickey's tongue, Ian wondered how many different combinations the older man could form with the wet muscle. Ian couldn't get his breathing under control no matter how hard he tried and it became even worse when Mickey slowly started pushing the tip of his finger into Ian's hole.

"This okay?" Mickey asked, momentarily removing his mouth so he could speak properly.

Ian nodded, unable form a coherent sentence in that moment. Mickey went back to work, periodically pushing his finger in deeper and using his other hand to tug on Ian's cock.

"Fuck," Ian pushed out, resting his forehead on his arm and reached back, tangling his long fingers in a mess of black hair. A part of him started to understand why Mickey was such a needy bottom. The physical feeling of it was equally too much but not enough, the inconsistency causing Ian to rock back and forth on Mickey's finger.

"Had a feeling you'd like it," Mickey mumbled, pushing his tongue in with his finger. Ian could feel his body start to tremble, becoming overwhelmed every time mickey twisted his cock or scraped against his walls. It wasn't long before Ian felt that familiar tightness forming.

"Fuck, baby, stop, I need to be in you," Ian grunted, pushing himself up and away from the shorter man.

Mickey complied, taking Ian's previous spot on the bed while the redhead grabbed a condom. Ian ripped the wrapper open with his teeth, taking the lubricated rubber out of the packaging and rolled it slowly over his cock, careful not create too much friction. When he looked over at Mickey, he couldn't help but notice the way his cock was swollen and leaking with precum. He licked his lips and reached for the shorter man's dick, swiping his thumb over the tip before pressing it to his tongue, causing Mickey moan lowly.

Ian grabbed his lube and squirted some on his fingers before positioning himself behind Mickey, easing his fingers into his hole. He was more the grateful that the shorter man was still loose from the fucking they had done previously, making the process much faster.

Once Mickey was slick and ready to go, Ian lined his cock up with the brunet's hole, pushing in slowly until he bottomed out. He bit down on his bottom lip, grabbing handfuls of Mickey's ass and spread his cheeks. When he began to snap his hips, all that could be heard was their heavy breaths, moans, and the slapping of skin against skin.

With every thrust, the tip of Ian's cock slammed into Mickey's prostate, causing the older man to tremble and completely fall apart under him. He was burying his face in a pillow, attempting to muffle his moans. Ian brought his hand up before laying a hard smack on Mickey's ass cheek, causing the latter to groan in pleasure.

"Wanna hear you," Ian told him, thrusting harder and faster than he ever thought he was capable.

Mickey removed his face from the pillow, letting out a symphony of moans that drove Ian closer and closer to the edge. "I'm gonna cum," Mickey practically whined, reaching between his legs to stroke his cock.

Ian nodded his agreement although Mickey couldn't see it, wrapping his hand tightly around Mickey's hip as he chased his orgasm. It only took a few more thrusts before Ian was spilling into the condom and Mickey's hand was covered in cum. When they came down from their highs, they both collapsed onto their backs, finding themselves in the same position for the third time that day.

The redhead rolled the condom off of his cock, wincing slightly at the sensitivity that came with the after glow. He threw the rubber into the trash and grabbed two cigarettes, handing one to Mickey after he lit it and then lit the other for himself. Mickey grunted his thanks and they lay in silence as they puff on the smoke.

Ian couldn't help the dopey smile he was sporting, convinced that this man was the best fuck buddy he'd ever had. The other guys were boring, they never initiated anything different, they became bitter when they realized he wasn't going to stick around to meet the family. Mickey was different, though. He didn't expect or initiate conversation, he wasn't intimidated by the redhead at all, he wasn't afraid to explore sexual preferences, and he turned Ian out every time they fucked. Ian found himself in complete catharsis after every orgasm that Mickey caused and he truly couldn't ask for anything more.

Even in the time they had spent in his apartment for the past few hours, Ian almost felt like, if the situation were different, they could have been friends. They could've been the kind of friends who ordered Chinese food and debated meaningless topics while they ate, ignoring whatever they had decided to put on tv. They could've been the kind of friends who would be wing men for each other. The kind of friends that gave each other shit but still obviously gave a shit about each other. Ian figured, in another life, Mickey could've been the equivalent to Lip without the blood relation.

"You're a fuckin' pussy when you're turned out," Mickey stated, causing Ian to chuckle in surprise.

"The fuck is that supposed to mean?" Ian inquired, raising his eyebrows and turning his head so he was looking at the older man.

"It means you were whining and shaking," Mickey chuckled, putting the hand that wasn't holding his cigarette behind his head and the other on his stomach.

"Oh, so you're making fun of me for doing the same exact shit you do?" Ian smirked, kicking Mickey as hard as he could in the shin. He almost pouted when he realized he didn't have enough strength to do any real damage in that moment.

"You also called me 'baby,'" Mickey shot back with a smirk of his own.

Ian snorted. "Fuck off, no, I didn't."

"You really did," Mickey tsked, shaking his head.

Ian furrowed his brows, thinking it over. It took him a few moments, but he was hit with a vague memory of uttering the word. He almost cursed under his breath but decided to hold it back, not wanting to make a bigger deal out of it than it already was.

"How about we just pretend that never happened," Ian suggested nonchalantly, reaching over to put his cigarette out in the ashtray.

Mickey snorted and nodded. "Fine with me," he replied, doing the same with his cigarette before getting back into a comfortable position.

Ian decided to kick himself for the slip up later. In that moment, he was too relaxed and comfortable to worry about anything. All he wanted in that moment was for sleep to take over and it did, the sounds of thunder and Mickey's steady breathing lulling him to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Twitter: Miilkobitch


	12. Chapter 12

In his half-asleep state of mind, Ian figured he was dreaming. His steady breathing brought the most pleasant scent to his nose, causing him push his face closer to the source of the smell. He felt his nose press to a patch of flesh, waking him up just a little bit more. As he became more aware, he realized that his bed seemed warmer than it usually was. It felt smaller, too. Moments later, he felt weight on his legs and warmth under his arm. When he finally came to and forced his eyes open, he realized that he wasn't dreaming, the warmth was there, the bed was smaller, and the magnificent scent was present. He was tangled up with his fuck buddy and if it weren't for his fear of waking the older man up, he would've jumped out of bed screaming.

Ian furrowed his eyebrows in concentration as he slowly and gently pulled his arm out from under Mickey's, not wanting to wake the older man up. Little did he know, Mickey was already awake and having his own freak out. Ian sighed in relief when he got his arm free and started working on untangling his legs. Once he was free, he sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He grabbed his boxers and put them on before heading out of his room and went straight for the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.

This was bad. This was really bad. Ian put his hands on the sink and leaned on them, letting his head hang low. They smoked too much. That was it. That's all it was. They'd cut back next time. Ian snorted, shaking his head. He knew there wasn't going to be a next time. After waking up like that, he'd never be able to face Mickey again. It would be awkward and uncomfortable, even if Mickey wasn't aware that it had happened.

Ian turned the water on and cupped his hands under the faucet, splashing the water that he caught over his face. He took a deep breath, calming himself down a little before going back to his room. When he got there, his bed was empty, Mickey's clothes were gone, and Ian knew then that Mickey hadn't been asleep when the former had untangled their bodies. He cursed quietly and made his way to the kitchen, spotting Lip as soon as he entered. He figure this morning couldn't possibly get any worse.

"You and Milkovich have a sleep over?" Lip asked, his usual smirk in place.

"The fuck are you doing here? You weren't supposed to be back until tonight," Ian grumbled, going to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water.

"Came home early," Lip shrugged, taking a seat at the counter. "Don't deflect. Mickey your boyfriend now?"

"Did he see you when he left?" Ian asked, trying to mask the anxiousness in his voice.

"He practically ran me over trying to get out of here," Lip chuckled, shaking his head. "Since when do you have fuck buddies sleep over?"

Ian couldn't help but to feel slightly disappointed as he came to the conclusion that things definitely had to end between him and Mickey now. "It was storming; told him he could crash here," Ian answered shortly, taking a sip of water before he sat down across from Lip, deciding that he might as well get the interrogation over with.

"Something weird happen between you guys? He seemed pretty put off when he was leaving," Lip noted, raising his eyebrows questionably.

Ian rolled his eyes. "Probably because he had to see your ugly ass face first thing in the morning."

Lip snorted. "The fuck is up with you? You're grouchier this morning than you usually are."

Ian sighed softly, shrugging his shoulders. He wasn't sure if he wanted to tell Lip about this. He didn't really want to tell anyone about it if he was being honest. He was embarrassed and uncomfortable. He'd never found himself in this situation before. He knew it had been a bad idea to let Mickey stay over the second the words had left his lips. He never let anyone stay the night and he sure as hell never stayed the night with anyone else. He couldn't remember a time when he had shared his bed, let alone cuddled in it.

"We woke up weird," Ian finally confessed, determined to remain as vague as possible. He didn't know if he'd be able to get the words out if he even tried.

"What do you mean?" Lip asked, tilting his head to the side. "How do you wake up weird?"

"Doesn't matter. Forget it," Ian said, rubbing his forehead in an attempt to rid himself of the memory.

"C'mon, man. You can talk to me. Tell me what happened," his older brother pushed, leaning forward on his elbows.

Ian felt himself getting frustrated, wishing Lip would just drop it. He didn't want to think about it anymore. It wasn't in Lip's nature to drop anything, though, so he knew it would be easier to just get it over with. "We fuckin'... cuddled," Ian forced himself to say, cringing at the word. He wished he could come up with a better word, but it was the only one coming to mind. "We smoked too much, we fucked a lot, and then I wake up and there's basically no space between us."

Lip pursed his lips, clearly attempting to hold back a chuckle or two. "Alright. So?"

"So?" Ian repeated with his eyebrows raised. "So, we fucking cuddled. We were basically fucking spooning. It was relationship-y as hell and now I'm never gonna be able to look at him again," Ian explained. "I finally had a decent fuck buddy. He didn't ask questions, he didn't try to talk about feelings, he wasn't intimidated by me, and he was damn good in the sack and now it's over. I'm not gonna find another one like him."

Lip let his chuckles pass his lips this time, shaking his head in astonishment. His little brother could be so dense sometimes. "Okay. Explain why it has to be over now."

Ian looked at his brother like he was mentally unstable. "Because we fucking cuddled," Ian said slowly as if he were speaking to a child. He kind of felt like he was in that moment.

"So, you cuddled. I'm not getting why that's such a big deal. People who like each other do that kind of shit. It happens daily. You're being overdramatic."

"It's too awkward now," Ian shook his head. "We can't just pretend that didn't happen. It happened, the balance shifted, and we fell right on our faces. There's no coming back from this."

Lip thought it over and nodded slowly. "Okay. The way I see it, you have three options here. You can walk away like you're so determined to do," Lip started, holding up one finger. "You can forget it ever happened," he continued, holding up a second finger. "Or you can face the fact that you actually like this guy and that freaks you out because you've never been put in a situation where you found yourself actually having to confront romantic feelings," he finished, holding up a third and final finger.

Ian nodded, gnawing on his lip as he mockingly considered Lip's words. "Yeah, in gonna go with option number one," Ian said, holding up his middle finger towards his brother. "I don't know why you're so convinced that I have feelings for Mickey. He kept my balls empty. There's nothing more to it," he explained, taking another sip of his water.

"Wow," Lip said, staring at his brother in awe. "It must take some serious determination to be that in denial."

Ian raised an eyebrow and picked at the label on his water bottle. Before Lip even had a chance to process what was happening, the bottle came flying towards him and hit him in the head before falling to the floor.

Lip looked at his little brother with wide eyes, rubbing his forehead in hopes of relieving the pain. "Who raised you to be such an animal?"

Ian shrugged and stood up, walking straight to his room without another word. Lip was wrong. The only option Ian had was to forget all about Mickey Milkovich and find someone new to dump his load into. The embarrassment wasn't worth trying to move beyond it and the third option Lip gave was just ludicrous. Ian didn't and would never have those kinds of feelings for Mickey. It just wasn't possible. Ian was more than happy to just simply fuck and move on. He refused to be the kind of person who would change his relationship status on Facebook or make plans based on the schedule of another person. He couldn't be the type of guy who stayed home on a Friday night and cuddled on the couch. He sure as hell couldn't be the guy who had anything more than platonic feelings towards someone. He tried in the past. He really did, but nothing ever stuck and he had made peace with the fact that romance wasn't going to be a part of his life a long time ago. He used to be a hopeless romantic growing up but he aged and had to face reality.

Ian shut his bedroom door securely once he was inside and sat on the edge of the bed. He grabbed his phone and opened the thread of texts between Mickey and himself. He gnawed on his lip briefly, deciding that it would be better to just rip the bandaid off.

Ian (11:23 am): We're done, right?

It only took about thirty seconds before he got a response back.

Mickey (11:23 am): Yup

Ian nodded to himself and shut his phone off. He fell back against the mattress, grabbing a pillow and held it on his face. He wanted to scream at himself for grabbing the pillow that Mickey used and he wanted to scream even louder for unwillingly taking in the scent that the older man had left behind.

He'd have to burn the pillowcase.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Twitter: Miilkobitch


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listen to Lonely by Demi Lovato while you read this because I hadn't realized how well the chapter fit with that song until I was editing and I'm flabbergasted

Mickey shut the door of his apartment just as the anonymous guy was trying to get his number. For the past two weeks, if Mickey wasn't working, he'd have a new guy over, they'd fuck, and Mickey would kick them out afterwards. It was working for him. He had very few complaints. Sometimes the guys would try to make it a regular thing or try to get personal, but Mickey figured that was just part of the life he was leading lately. A guy who would fuck and leave on their own was rare, so Mickey dealt with it.

He locked the door and turned, seeing Georgie sitting the couch with her eyes on him. Some random infomercial was playing in the background, the lights were off and she was shaking her head. Mickey furrowed his eyebrows, not realizing that she was still awake at three in the morning and wondering what caused that disappointed look she was sporting.

He looked at his best friend in askance, taking a few steps towards her. "What?" He asked when she didn't show any signs of telling him what her problem was.

"That's the eighth guy in the past two weeks," Georgie stated as if it were obvious. "You plan on chilling out any time soon?"

Mickey snorted, crossing his arms over his chest. "Are you slut shaming me, Georgiana?" He asked, amusement dripping off of every word.

"No, Mikhailo, I just didn't realize you were so horny," she challenged, standing up and rounding the couch so she was standing in front of him with her arms crossed as well.

"What can I say? I'm young. Lots of stamina," Mickey shrugged and went to the kitchen, grabbing a beer. He knew how Georgie worked and he knew this conversation was at from over. He needed a drink to deal with her shit at three in the morning.

"Are you being safe, at least?" Georgie questioned, following him and leaning against the refrigerator when he shut the door.

Mickey nearly choked on his beverage, wiping his mouth before looking at his roommate like she needed to be put in a mental institution. "I'm twenty-four. I don't need the sex talk."

"I'm just concerned," she said defensively.

"Yeah, well, don't be. I can take care of myself," Mickey assured her sarcastically. "What the hell is up with you? Since when do you worry about what or who I do?"

Georgie shrugged one shoulder, gnawing on her lip. "Since now, I guess."

"And why is that?"

Georgie had been more and more interested in his sex life lately. It had been throwing him off quite a bit. They never talked about shit like this. They weren't the kind of friends who talked about details of their sex lives. They gave each other shit and watched stupid shit on tv. They smoked weed and ate unhealthy food together. They didn't give each other advice or have meaningful conversation. Lately, though, Georgie had been prying. Always asking questions, trying too hard to be nonchalant. Mickey had thought that her acting aspirations would give her the ability to fake it better.

She shrugged again, running a hand through her hair. "Just worried about you."

"Yeah, see, that's the part I don't get. After three years, why is my sex life so concerning to you?"

Georgie sighed softly. "Because you're lying to yourself. You're using these guys in some pathetic way to pretend you're not upset about Ian."

Mickey stared at his friend for what felt like five minutes. He didn't say a word, he simply blinked periodically and slowly sat his beer down on the counter. He didn't know where to start. Georgie had truly thrown him for a loop.

He sniffed and nodded slowly. "Georgie, I need you to listen to what I'm about to say. Really listen, okay?" He started, waiting for her nod of acknowledgement. "This conspiracy theory you have about underlying feelings between Ian and me needs to stop. We fucked. The cuddling shit was a result of being too intoxicated. I don't know this guy and he doesn't know me and you don't know shit."

"If the cuddling was just a result of your weed impaired minds then why the fuck was it enough to end shit between you guys?" She challenged, putting her hands on her hips. "If you're not in love with Ian, you sure as hell were in love with that arrangement. It was convenient and you were sure as hell satisfied. You were in a good mood for months. Then you guys end it and you're moody and fucking anything that walks. Why was a stupid cuddling session enough for you guys to end it?"

"Because it was fuckin' awkward," Mickey explained. "I wouldn't be able to look at him the same. The whole appeal was that he was this bad ass without feelings and suddenly he was a fuckin' teddy bear."

Georgie snorted and shook her head. "It's truly amazing how you actually believe you don't have feelings for this guy. I thought you knew and just preferred to stay in denial, but you actually believe the shit your selling."

"I believe it because it's the truth," Mickey countered. "You're the one that's seeing shit that ain't there. You gotta let this shit go."

"You're going to see it one day. One day, hopefully soon, you're going to think about him and you're going to kick yourself for not seeing it sooner. That's your guy, man. And when you finally see it, you're going to get a big, fat 'I told you so' from me."

Mickey sighed heavily and chugged the rest of his beer, belching loudly in her face which didn't phase her as much as he wished it would. He tossed the can in the trash, walking around his friend to go back to his room.

"Mickey, we're not done talking about this," Georgie said irritably. "You're not yourself. I'm not going to rest until I get you to see what's right in front of you."

Mickey ignored her, closing the door behind him as he entered his room. Georgie was just wrong. There was nothing there that he wasn't seeing. He saw that he and Ian had ended things and he was fine with it. Sure, the guys he fucked weren't as good as Ian and Mickey always had an unscratched itch when they left, but it was a trial and error situation. Not everyone was going to be at Ian's skill level and that was okay with him. He didn't mind fishing for a little bit. Nothing came easy, right? Especially him, these days, he had noticed. Ian could get him off as fast as he wanted to. With Ian, he struggled not to cum quickly. With the guys he was spending his time with lately, he struggled to get off. He was starting to wonder if he had came at all with the last guy. He furrowed his eyebrows as he thought it over. He figured if he had gotten off, it was mediocre.

Images of red hair flashed through his mind and he felt his stomach drop, remembering how excited he would get every time he would see it. How right it felt to tangle his fingers in it. It happened again but this time it was green eyes. He hadn't even realized he remembered Ian's eye color but he knew that the intensity in those eyes pushed him over the edge more often than he'd like to admit. He remember how it felt to have Ian's large hands wrap around his neck. He remembered how good the fucker smelled the morning they had been tangled up together. He remembered so much more than he ever thought he could in that situation. He had thought he was too freaked out to remember anything at all. He remembered waking up, he remembered thinking it felt kind of nice before he had become aware of his surroundings. Even in his discomforted state, he remembered being almost disappointed when Ian had gotten up.

He sighed and grabbed his glasses, shoving them on to his face and unlocked his phone. He opened the thread of texts between he and Ian that he hadn't gotten around to deleting yet and started typing out a message. He was unsatisfied with what he had typed out and deleted it. He repeated that process multiple times, every text being worse than the last.

_U should come over_

_What's up_

_U awake_

_I mis_

He sighed heavily and shook his head, feeling pathetic and nothing like himself. He didn't do this shit. He didn't think about guys, especially guys who weren't in his life anymore, but here he was, acting like a fucking girl. He had let Georgie get to him. He knew she was wrong, but he couldn't stop her words from resonating with him. He decided then that anything Ian related would be blocked from his head. He couldn't be thinking like this. He needed to be himself again. This pussy version of himself was not going to do.

He locked his phone and sat it on his nightstand along with his glasses, flipping on to his side with his back facing his phone. He didn't want to see it again and be tempted to text the stupid redhead. He closed his eyes and tried to shut his brain off, feeling confident in his decision to block the younger man out and focus on scratching his itch without him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Twitter: Miilkobitch


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoa 2 chapters in one week? IN A 24 HOUR PERIOD?

When the bell rang, signaling that Ian's last class was over, he watched as his students gathered their things. He briefly interrupted their chatter to remind them of the homework. They murmured their agreement as they filed out of the room.

Riley was the last person in the room, trailing quietly behind everyone. She was still the quietest student Ian had. He'd only seen her engage with her peers a handful of times in the few months since the school year started. She never spoke up in class but she did her work and kept straight A's. It was safe to say that she was his favorite student.

"Hey, Riley. You doing okay?" He asked, stopping her before she left the room.

She turned slightly and nodded. "Uh, yeah. I'm fine," she answered quietly.

"Alright. Have a good weekend," he told her, grabbing a few folders that contained papers he needed to grade. She waved before exiting the classroom and disappearing down the hall. Ian felt his phone buzzing in his pocket and he pulled it out, seeing Fiona's name flashing on the screen. He answered, holding the phone between his ear and his shoulder so he could use both hands to continue gathering his things. "Hey, what's up?"

"You still comin' over, sweet face?"

"Yeah, I'm leaving work and heading over," he told her, putting his things in a backpack before slipping the backpack on to his free shoulder.

"Alright, see you soon," she replied. Ian grunted his reply before hanging up and shoved his phone back into his pocket. He left his classroom and locked the door behind him, making his way to the exit.

It had been a month since Ian and Mickey had called things off and every once in a while, Mickey would pop into Ian's head. It was a real inconvenience if you asked the redhead. It didn't make much sense to him that a former fuck buddy was making appearances in his mind. It would come out of nowhere, too. He'd be having a random thought about what he needed to pick up at the store and he'd start reminiscing about his time with the dark haired man. It happened at least three times a week and Ian wasn't sure how to make it stop.

Thoughts of Mickey consumed him on his way to his childhood home. The way one lock of hair would always fall onto his forehead, the way he would use his finger to push his glasses further up on his nose, the way he walked with so much confidence that you couldn't help but watch him in awe, the way he tried not to laugh at minor mishaps when they fucked but ended up smiling anyway. Being able to make Mickey smile was rewarding. It seemed as though a look of anger was Mickey default so being the one to cause a smile on the man's face made it hard for Ian to not feel a bit of pride for himself.

Ian fought the urge to groan in frustration, wanting nothing more than to forget about the older man and go on with his life. Luckily, the walk from the school to his old house wasn't a long one and he was soon walking into the yard, taking a spot on the steps next to his older sister and sat down with a heavily sigh.

"Hey," he muttered, taking the cigarette that was between her fingers and took a long drag. The nicotine helped calm him slightly, but he was sure that nothing could ease his mind when he was in such new territory and out of his comfort zone.

"Bad day?" Fiona questioned, furrowing her eyebrows in question.

Ian shrugged. "Bad month, I guess? I don't know." He passed the cigarette back to her rested his elbows on the step behind him, trying to let the autumn chill relax his body.

"Tell me what happened," Fiona said, looking over her shoulder so she was looking her little brother in the eye.

"It's really not that big of the deal," Ian reasoned, avoiding Fiona's eyes. He hadn't talked about this at all. It was embarrassing. He wasn't the type of guy that had problems like this and anyone who knew him knew that about him, especially his family. "I was fucking this guy..." Ian started, only to be interrupted by a snort from his sister.

"Please tell me this is about to be you telling me you actually have feelings for someone," she begged, bringing her hands together and looking towards the sky as if she had been praying for the affirmative.

"Not this time," Ian chuckled, shaking his head. "It ended about a month ago and I can't figure out why, but I'm still thinking about him. It's weird. He just shoves his way into my head and there's nothing I can do about it."

Fiona smirked a little, shaking her head in awe. "Holy shit," she chuckled, patting Ian's thigh before turning away from him.

"What?" He asked when he realized she wasn't going to say anything else. He leaned forward so he could look at her, raising his eyebrows.

"You like this guy," she said simply, taking one last drag of her cigarette and put it out on the bottom of her shoe.

"I just told you that's not the case," Ian said, shaking his head. "It's not like that."

"You're thinking about a guy for month after things end. Sounds like loss to me," Fiona said, looking over at him. "Why are you so convinced that you're incapable of feeling things for someone?"

"I don't think I'm incapable of feeling things for someone. It's just not the case in this situation," Ian explained, shrugging his shoulders.

"Pull your head out of your ass, little brother. You have feelings for this guy and it's time you face the facts. If you didn't care about him, he wouldn't be influencing your mood so much," she said, holding her hand up when Ian tried to protest. "What exactly is it about him that has you so hung up on him?"

Ian gnawed on his lip and scratched his cheek. "I don't know. I wish I did know. There's a bunch of things."

"Why'd you guys end it?"

Ian wanted to crawl out of his skin just thinking about that morning. He almost felt gross when he replayed the events in his head but he also felt warm. If he had stayed in his state of hardly awake but not quite asleep, he figured he would've found the experience enjoyable. Waking up in a situation he had never been in before, though, had put him in an overwhelmed state of mind that he did not want to relive.

"We, uh... we cuddled," Ian confessed, causing Fiona to raise her eyebrows in surprise and intrigue. "Smoked too much, fell asleep, and we woke up all... close."

"Christ, you are such a Gallagher," Fiona chuckled, shaking her head. "The first sign of intimacy and you run for the hills."

"Fuck off," Ian chuckled, shaking his head. "He's a cool guy. Shits too complicated for us to fuck anymore, but I kind of want to be friends," Ian admitted, running his fingers through his hair.

"So call him, dummy. It doesn't have to be as hard as you're making it out to be," Fiona teased, knocking her shoulder against his.

"Yeah, I'll think about it," Ian replied, feeling a little better than he had when he first arrived there. The feeling was short lived, though, as he heard an all too familiar voice calling out for him.

"Ian?! Is that really you? My favorite boy!" The voice had Ian's head snapping up and he was faced with his mother's beaming face, coming towards him with outstretched arms. He felt like time had slowed down immensely and he couldn't get himself to move in time before Monica's arms were wrapped around him tightly. He didn't respond, he didn't hug her back, he simply stared at the space in front of him and let the feeling of dread that came with realizing that they had to get through another Monica visit take over.

"What the hell are you doing here, Monica? Did you come to fuck up our lives some more?" Fiona asked, getting to her feet.

Monica finally let go of a shocked Ian and turned to face Fiona. They had started arguing but Ian tuned it out. He had too many thoughts going through his head and began to get a feeling of overwhelming discomfort. He eventually found the ability to move and stood up, walking back towards the way he came.

"I have to go," he said more to himself than to his mom or his sister. He felt their eyes on him as he walked away and he could hear Monica calling for him but before he knew it, he was moving faster and faster until he was full on sprinting in the direction of an apartment building he didn't think he'd ever go to again.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Twitter: Miilkobitch


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Longest chapter of the whole fic! And it's the third day in a row of updates! But with the good comes the bad. I've decided to post this chapter unedited. I'll be going back through tomorrow to fix any typos. I hope there aren't so many that it's impossible to read. Fingers crossed. Let me know how you feel about the direction of the story and thank you for sticking with me through this! We're a little more than half way done!

Ian had misjudged the distance. He wasn't even half way to his destination when he started running out of breath. He slowed to a stop, bending over with his hands on his knees. He could hear his heart beating in his ears and his chest was tighter than it had ever been. Monica always did this to him. She always had some sort of power over him that he couldn't break free from. She'd show up and it was like Ian's entire world would shift. He wouldn't be able to focus, he wouldn't be able to feel in control of himself. He'd been trying his whole life to escape from this hold that his mother had on him but in the end, he'd see her face and begin to spiral.

He had been feeling his phone buzz continuously in his pocket for the past twenty minutes. He didn't have to look to know that it was Fiona, ready to try to talk him down from the ledge. Ian wasn't sure why she tried time and time again to pull him back to earth every time this happened. She should know now that there was no talking him down. No one could do it. It was common knowledge. Everyone knew, but Fiona couldn't grasp it. She always had to be the one to make things better. Ian couldn't really blame her for it seeing as she had taken on the role of their mother from a very young age. It was all she knew. Ian really wished that she would let him go through the motions, though.

When the phone started buzzing again, Ian groaned loudly and pulled it out of his pocket. He briefly debated destroying the device but ultimately decided shutting it off would be the better option. That's exactly what he did before shoving the phone back into his pocket and took off running again. His emotions were an unstoppable force and the only way to bring him back down was to hit an immovable object. His feet took him in the direction of the immovable object he needed.

He pounded on the door for what felt like hours, knowing that it had probably only been a minute. He heard shouting on the other side of the door before it was thrown open and Ian was faced with the man that he hadn't seen in a month. Mickey looked at him through his glasses in confusion but Ian ignored it, pushing passed him and went straight to the kitchen.

"You have beer, right? Of course, you do. You always have beer," Ian mumbled the last part mostly to himself as he opened the refrigerator, grabbed a beer, and chugged the entire thing.

"The fuck are you doing here, Gallagher?" Mickey asked, not making a move to get closer to the redhead who was clearly on edge.

"Came here to fuck," Ian said simply, throwing his empty can into the trash before pulling his shirt off on his way to Mickey's bedroom. All Mickey could do is watch as the younger man passed him, unable to get his feet to move just yet.

In Mickey's room, Ian had continued stripping himself of his clothes until he was down to his boxers. The seconds passed and Ian began feeling antsy. He needed to get his frustrations out in the best way he knew how to and Mickey was making that task exceptionally hard. He walked back over to the door of Mickey's room and popped his head out, watching as Mickey seemed to be gathering his thoughts.

"You comin' or not, Milkovich?" Ian asked, snapping Mickey out of his thoughts. The shorter man looked at him for a moment before nodding and finally moving his body in the direction of his room.

Ian let out a breath of relief and walked backwards towards the bed as he watched Mickey walk towards him. Mickey pulled his white wife beater over his head, throwing it to the side. Ian licked his lips as his eyes raked over Mickey's body and he took the shorter man's wrist, pulling him closer before pushing him onto the bed. The red head climbed on top of him, his legs straddling Mickey's waist as he leaned down and attached his lips to the dark haired man's neck. He gently sucked on the pale skin, just enough to leave a small a bruise, wanting nothing more than to leave his mark. Proof that he had been there. Proof that he would always be there.

Mickey let out a shaky breath as Ian moved further down his body, his lips tracing over every dip and curve of his torso. Mickey's fell shut and he pushed his fingers into Ian's hair as the latter softly nipped at Mickey's hip, curling his fingers around the bands of his sweatpants and boxers. Ian pulled them off, dropping the articles of clothes next to bed. He let his eyes travel over Mickey's body, really taking him in. He had missed this body. He had dreamt about this body. He had masturbated to this body more times than he would care to admit.

"You just gonna stare all day or are you gonna do something?" Mickey said, snapping Ian out of his trance. The red head looked up to Mickey's face and saw the latter smirking at him. Ian chuckled lightly, seeing that all too familiar demeanor taking so much weight off of his chest.

Ian got himself comfortable between Mickey's legs and wrapped his hand around the older man's semi hard cock, stroking it slowly. Mickey put one hand behind his head, deciding to relax and enjoy the ride.

"Wanna try something," Ian told him before swirling his tongue around the tip of Mickey's cock.

"Try whatever you want, man. Just do something," Mickey sighed softly, not annoyed, just enjoying anything Ian was willing to give him. As much as he hated to admit it, he had missed the red head just as much.

Ian let his lips curve into a small smile as he grabbed a pillow from the top of bed and slid it under Mickey's lower back. He pushed Mickey's legs up until his knees were pressed against his chest. Mickey hooked his arms behind his knees, his smirk making it obvious that he knew exactly what Ian was up to.

Ian licked his lips before deciding to just go for it, flattening his tongue as he dragged it over Mickey's hole until the tip of his tongue reached the older man's perineum. Mickey let out a hum of approval as the red head went to work, licking into his hole as he started stroking his cock again.

Ian knew he had missed this. He knew he missed the sounds that Mickey made, he missed the way his body to responded differently to different things, he missed the confidence that Mickey had when it came to anything sexual, he missed the way nothing else mattered when he was on top of the shorter man. What he hadn't know, though, was exactly how much he had missed it. For the first time in a month, Ian felt comfortable. He felt like things were falling into place again.

Ian used the hand that wasn't working Mickey's cock to ease a finger into him along with his tongue, trying his hardest to hold back a smirk when Mickey hummed lowly again. Ian was putting his all into the preparation. The pent up rage he had been carrying around with him for weeks on top of his emotions towards Monica being back was bound to come out once he slipped his cock into his fuck buddy and as much as Mickey liked it rough, Ian still had no desire to hurt the other man in any way.

Ian slid in another finger, moving his mouth upwards so he could take Mickey's cock down his throat. He had missed this, too. The stretch that came with Mickey's dick sliding down his throat. It was never as satisfying with any other guy.

Mickey let his legs drop to the bed, opting to use his hands to feel Ian's soft, red tresses between his fingers. A feeling he knew and appreciated. He tugged on the strands, hearing himself whimper slightly as Ian slid a third finger into him but he was too far gone care. All he cared about was getting that itch scratched that no other guy had the ability to reach yet.

"C'mon, man. Need you in me," Mickey breathed, licking his dry lips.

Ian hummed, letting the older man's cock fall from his mouth with a pop. He eased his fingers out him, reaching for his jeans so he could grab a condom from his wallet. Once the condom was rolled on to his cock, he reached into Mickey's nightstand where he kept his lube and slicked himself up with it before lining himself up with Mickey's hole.

"Not gonna take it easy on you," Ian warned, slipping only the tip of his dick into Mickey and pulled it back out, watching the hole contract which only made his dick harder.

"Wouldn't want you to," Mickey confessed, his body involuntarily wiggling closer to Ian's pelvis, practically begging for Ian's cock.

Ian nodded, biting down on his bottom lip as he slowly pushed back into Mickey inch by inch. He watched his cock stretch the other man's hole, shivering slightly when he finally bottomed out. Both men groaned softly, savoring the feeling of being connected again. After a few moments of letting Mickey adjust to the feeling, Ian began snapping his hips forwards. Every thrust was rougher than the last, feeling free to release his frustrations. Mickey's body was his saving grace and he planned to take full advantage of it. The rougher he got, the more he found himself winding down. He wrapped one hand tightly around Mickey's hip and the other around his neck, adding and reducing pressure every few seconds.

Mickey was losing all sense of self beneath Ian, let the pleasure consume him. He wasn't sure if he was being loud or not, nor did he care, but he knew that he couldn't contain the series of noises leaving his mouth. He was practically falling apart every time Ian's cock nudged his prostate and he knew there was no way he would be able to hold out much longer.

Ian released his hold on both Mickey's hip and neck, falling forward so his body was pressed closely to Mickey's and holding himself up on his elbows.

"Not gonna last," Ian breathed into Mickey's ear, taking the lobe between his teeth and added a small amount of pressure.

Mickey nodded his agreement, digging his blunt nails into Ian's back. The sting of it was what pushed Ian over the edge, moaning lowly into Mickey's ear. Mickey was far behind at all, his load shooting between them and on to his chest. Ian continued to thrust until they had both come down from their highs before slowly slipping out of the dark haired man and collapsed next to him, breathing heavily.

The both of them lay there quietly, basking in the afterglow and trying to even out their breathing. Ian was feeling so much better than he had been when he first showed up. All of his worries had melted away and he didn't think he could feel any better than he did in that moment. Mickey was best described as a self prescribed medicine and Ian decided that if he had the ability to freeze any moment and stay in it forever, it was that one.

"You gonna tell me what's going on?"

Until he said that.

Ian sighed softly and ran a hand over his face. After a moment, he replied, "Sorry. I know I shouldn't have come here. Just didn't really have anywhere else to go."

"What happened?" Mickey pressed, propping himself up on his elbows and looked down at the obviously very bothered red head.

Ian gnawed on his lip, trying to decide if he wanted to be honest or dodge the question all together. In the end, he figured he probably wouldn't see Mickey after this again, so what did it matter?

"My mom. She's in town. Been in and out of our lives from the jump. Always kind of stresses me out when she pops back in," Ian explained, shrugging a single shoulder. "Everyone always says it's because I'm closest to her and I run away from it so I can avoid the hurt that comes when she goes. I think that's a load of shit, though."

Mickey nodded but didn't say anything further which Ian was grateful for. They continued laying there for a while before Ian finally got up and began dressing himself. He got himself situated and made sure he hadn't forgotten anything, turning to leave but stopped himself just before he walked through the door of Mickey's room.

"I want to be friends," Ian stated, turning back to look at Mickey. "I know the fucking can't be a regular thing anymore after... y'know, but I want to to be friends. The few times we actually talked instead of fucked, I didn't completely hate you."

Mickey snorted and held his middle finger up in Ian's direction. "What, you wanna have sleep overs and braid each other's hair and shit?"

Ian shook his head. "No. I just don't want to go back to pretending the other doesn't exist."

Mickey sighed softly and sat up, gnawing on his lip as he pulled a cigarette from his pack. He nodded slowly before putting the cigarette between his lips and lighting it. "Alright, fine. But if we're friends, we're not fucking. I try not to take the 'buddy' part of 'fuck buddy' too literally don't. Don't wanna fuck a friend."

Ian smiled a little and nodded. "Deal," he replied, turning to leave once again, but this time, he left, shutting the door to Mickey's apartment behind him.

He felt like he was walking on air. He'd never tried being actual friends with someone before. He had Lip so he didn't think he needed a friend, but he was feeling good about this little experiment and he was excited to see how it would turn out. Only time would tell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Twitter: Miilkobitch


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 4th day of updating in a row! Again, this chapter is unedited, but I'll be going back through and fixing any typos after Shelby points them out to me 

Ian (2:31 pm): You busy today?

Mickey (2:34 pm): Y?

Ian (2:34 pm): You should come hang out if you're not busy. I'm bored.

Mickey (2:35 pm): How is that my problem?

Ian (2:36 pm): We're friends now. Friends entertain each other. There's no point in being friends if you won't entertain me.

Mickey (2:38 pm): Ur right. There is no point. Maybe we shouldn't be friends.

Ian (2:38 pm): Come over, asshole.

Mickey (2:38 pm): Fine.

Mickey sighed heavily and stood up from the couch. He hadn't thought Ian was serious about being friends. It had been almost a week since Ian had suggested it but he hadn't talked to him since that day and Mickey was more than happy to pretend it never happened. Mickey didn't do well with friends. The only friend he's ever had was Georgie. He had Mandy once upon a time but she was his sister so he never really considered her a friend. Just someone he was forced to spend time with.

He had wanted to spend the day on his couch, drink beers, and enjoy his day off. Leave it to Ian to fuck up his plans. He went to his room and got dressed, putting on a black t-shirt and some jeans. He pushed his glasses further up his nose and shoved his phone into his pocket before reemerging from his room, only to find Georgie in the spot on the couch that he had been previously occupying.

"Where are you going?" She asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

"You my mom now?" He shot back, grabbing his keys from the coffee table.

"No, I just know that your days off are important to you and if you don't get to be a lazy fuck, you'll be in a shitty mood for days and I don't want to deal with that," Georgie replied, shrugging her shoulders.

Mickey scoffed and started walking to the door. "Goin' to Ian's. I'll try not be asshole when I get back but he's probably gonna annoy the shit outta me."

Georgie shot to her feet and turned to look at him. "Where did you just say you were going?" She asked, taking the necessary steps so she was in front of him.

"You fuckin' deaf all of a sudden? I said I'm going to Ian's," Mickey repeated, raising his eyebrows with his hand on the doorknob until Georgie smacked it away.

"You guys are doing that again?"

"No, actually, we're not. I guess we're trying to be friends or whatever," Mickey shrugged. "Can I go now?"

"No," she shook her and leaned her body against the door. "How the hell did this happen? And since when do you decide to be friends with the people you've fucked? Is that dude who stole all my leftover pizza gonna start hanging around here again?"

Mickey knocked his knuckle gently against his nostril and shook his head. "He came over almost a week ago, I guess. We fucked and afterwards he decided that he wanted to be friends. Not me. I just agreed to get him to fuckin' leave," Mickey explained, shrugging his shoulders. "I guess he took it seriously and now I'm on my way over there because I have fuck else to do."

Georgie narrowed her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. "So you're gonna fuck your friend? Isn't that going to be awkward?"

"No, because we're not fucking. That was my only condition. No fucking."

"I'm gonna grill you more later," she told him, noticing that he was getting antsy. "Have fun," she sang, stepping away from the door and chuckled at the middle finger she got in response as she watched her best friend leave the apartment. All she wanted to do for the rest of the day is watch tv and bask in the feeling of knowing she had been right all along.

Mickey was weirdly nervous as he made his way towards Ian's apartment. There had only been one time that that had spent time together without having sex and sex was only taken off the counter because Mickey had hit him but he still ended up taking the red head's cock down his throat. He didn't know how to 'hang out' with a guy that he's fucked, and he especially didn't know how to do it with Ian.

When he found himself standing in front of Ian's door, he wiped the palms of his hands on his jeans before knocking a few times. He had never been so out of his comfort zone before and he had no clue what to expect. When the door swung open, Ian was standing there in a shirt that was too tight for Mickey to ignore. His eyes dragged up and down the red head's body, making him chuckle lightly.

"I think I'm a little offended that you're checking me out right now," Ian said, causing Mickey to look up at his face, only to see the taller man smirking at him.

"Fuck off," Mickey scoffed and pushed his way into the apartment. He heard the door shut behind him and shoved his hands into his pockets.

They stood there awkwardly for what felt like hours, neither of them knowing what to say or what to do. It was obvious to Mickey that Ian had never been in this situation before either and the older man was quickly starting to regret his decision to come here. He should've stayed at home.

"You want a beer?" Ian asked, clearly trying to break the ice as he walked to the kitchen.

"Uh, yeah. Beer's good," Mickey replied, scratching the space between his eyebrows with his thumb and went over to the couch, deciding that if he didn't sit down soon, it was only going to become more awkward. Ian came back with two beers in hand, giving one to Mickey. Mickey grunted his thanks and opened the beer, chugging about half of it in hopes of easing his discomfort.

Ian cleared his throat as he started picking at the label on his bottle. They exchanged quick glances with each other, the atmosphere was tense, and Mickey could hardly fight the urge to crawl out of his skin.

"So," Ian started after taking a sip of his beer. "How's work?"

Mickey sat back against the couch and closed his eyes, shaking his head. "This was a bad idea," he confessed.

"It wasn't a bad idea," Ian argued lightly. "We just have to get the hang of it. We're trying too hard."

"Pretty sure we're not supposed to try at all," Mickey pointed out, finally looking over at Ian.

"Then lets not try," Ian suggested simply, getting comfortable and grabbing the tv remote. "Just pretend I'm Georgie."

Mickey fought the urge to point out that he didn't want to fuck Georgie. He figured that wouldn't help the awkwardness that was hanging over them, so he sighed softly and decided to just go with it. He got comfortable as well and sipped on his beer, hardly watching whatever was on the screen. If he was being honest, he was mostly watching Ian. Despite his discomfort, he couldn't deny that Ian looked good. His hair was a mess and he was dressed in a simple t-shirt and some sweatpants but Mickey couldn't think of a time when Ian looked better than he did right then.

It wasn't long before Ian felt Mickey's eyes on him but he didn't say a word about it when he turned his head to look at the older man. Instead, Ian ended up doing the same exact thing. They looked each other over and Mickey began to wonder which one of them was going to break first and make the move that both of them clearly wanted to make.

Fortunately for both of them, neither of them would get the chance to make that move because the door swung open and shut again, breaking them from their staring contest to see who had interrupted the moment. While Mickey had gone to school with the oldest Gallagher brother, all of those memories had been wiped clean and replaced with the asshole's smirking face when Mickey was leaving the morning he and Ian had slipped.

Lip furrowed his eyebrows when he realized that Mickey was there, shrugging off his jacket. "Should I go to my room and put on noise canceling headphones? Is this happening again?"

"Nope. We're just watching tv," Ian replied, trying too hard to seem casual. The sight of it was enough to make Mickey cringe. Apparently Ian wasn't as good at playing it cool as Mickey had thought he was.

Lip snorted and shook his head. "Chill, I couldn't give less of a fuck about who you bang. I just wanted a warning. Mickey can get pretty loud."

"Fuck off, I'm not loud," Mickey argued, giving Lip the finger for emphasis.

"You kinda are," Ian chuckled and Mickey's finger moved to the red head, only making the latter laugh more. "We're not fucking," Ian told his brother once he chilled out. "We're trying to be friends."

"Friends?" Lip asked, seeming to become more and more confused by the second. "You don't have friends."

"I have friends," Ian replied, rolling his eyes. "I have plenty of friends."

"No, you don't," Lip chuckled, shaking his head. "You have me."

Ian sighed heavily and closed his eyes. "Can you please stop making me look like the lamest person on earth in front of company?"

"You do that all on your own, little brother," Lip replied, making his way to the couch. "Since you guys are just being friends, I assume you won't mind if I join you," Lip said, plopping down between the two of them.

Mickey scrunched up his face and scooted further away from the older Gallagher brother when his arm was pressed too closely to his.

"I need to get my own place," Ian grumbled, turning his attention to the tv.

Strangely enough, Mickey was almost grateful for the buffer. As much as he wanted Ian to get on him, he knew it was a bad idea. He didn't trust himself to be alone with the red head. Not after they had almost broken their agreement not to fuck. So, he sat back and tried to focus on the tv, hoping that it wouldn't be long before he could go home and enjoy the rest of his day off without half of a boner.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Twitter: Miilkobitch


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is so short and so awful. I'm so sorry. I had a really hard time writing it because the next chapter is so much better and I wanted to hurry up and get to that one. I suck so much 

"Your mom still hanging around?" Mickey asked as he popped a fry into his mouth.

It had been a month since Ian and Mickey had decided to be friends and it was going well, all things considering. There were still moments of sexual tension when they would hang out, but it was getting easier to manage for the most part and Ian was happy about it. He finally had someone to talk to besides his siblings and Mickey had some of the best personality traits Ian had ever seen in another person. He was funny, he got more and more vulgar everyday, he was, surprisingly, a really good listener. He even gave some good advice every once in a while. They were into a lot of the same things, they spent a lot of time telling childhood stories and seeing who had done the craziest shit between the two of them. It was a breath of fresh air to hang out with Mickey so when Mickey had texted him that morning to ask if Ian wanted to grab something to eat with him on his lunch break, he didn't hesitate to agree.

Ian shrugged a single shoulder. "I don't know. Probably not. It's been a few days since I've heard from her so I'm assuming she finally fucked off somewhere."

Mickey nodded. "That's a good thing, right?"

Ian shrugged again, not really knowing the answer to that. "It's weird. When she's gone, I want her stay gone. I don't want her anywhere near me. Then she comes back and I don't want her to leave ever again. My siblings understand it even less than I do. They can't figure out why I'm so messed up over her. Probably something wrong me."

"There's nothing wrong with you, man. Just means you give a shit," Mickey replied before taking a bite of his burger.

"That's the thing, though. I shouldn't give a shit. Not about her."

"Who the fuck says you shouldn't give a shit about your mom? You said she's sick, right? Bipolar or whatever?" Mickey asked, continuing when Ian nodded his head. "It's not some mystery as to why you give a shit. You're worried and you love your mom. If that's a problem, it's a problem I'd love to have."

Ian crinkled his eyebrows, tilting his head to the side. "What do you mean?"

"I mean I don't have a mom to worry about. She died when I was a kid."

Ian frowned, dipping a fry into some ketchup. "Shit, man. That really sucks. Why'd you let me go on and on about my mom who is very much alive when yours died?"

Mickey shrugged. "Georgie's always sayin' some shit about how people's problems aren't less significant just because someone else has it worse. She usually knows what the fuck she's talkin' about."

Ian nodded, not really knowing what to say. He didn't know what it felt like to lose his mom permanently. Nothing with Monica was permanent. Ian couldn't help his curiosity, though. He had found himself wanting to know everything about Mickey lately. He was intrigued by everything Mickey and he needed to know more.

"What about your dad?" Ian asked, tilting his head to the side.

"He's dead as far as I'm concerned. Haven't spoken to him since I left home," Mickey replied with a mouth full of burger, having taken a bite right before Ian asked his question.

As insensitive as it may be, Ian nearly congratulated the older man. Ian would probably sell his soul if it meant he didn't have to see or talk to Frank ever again. Frank drained him and everyone around him. Ian had spent a great deal of his life wondering how relaxing it would be if Clayton had taken responsibility for him, but then, he wouldn't be nearly as close to his siblings as he was and the thought of that made Ian nauseous.

"What about you? Don't think I've ever heard you talk about your dad," Mickey observed.

"It's complicated," Ian said, chuckling softly at how true the statement was.

"Tell me about it. I wanna know how complicated your life is."

Ian sighed softly and shrugged, figuring he might as well answer since Mickey was so curious. "My dad is technically my uncle and his brother, my real dad, wanted nothing to do with me after we found out about seven years ago. Frank is a drunk who likes to take his built up anger towards Monica out on me so I avoid him as much as possible. I could hit him one good time to get him to stop but I'm afraid that if I start, I won't be able to stop."

Mickey nodded. "Doesn't sound all that complicated to me. My dad did the same shit to me except he took his built up anger towards fags out on me," Mickey chuckled. Ian could tell that he was trying to hide the bitterness in his tone, but Ian saw right through it.

Ian had this urge to hug the older man. He had been getting urges like that for a while now. Urges to hug him or comfort him every time he seemed stressed out or upset about anything. Ian hadn't gotten those urges unless he was in the presence of one of his siblings. He figured that's what came with having friends. You care when they're having a hard time. Ian could get used to it. But he pushed the urge away, knowing that Mickey wasn't the type of guy who wanted to be comforted.

"You said something about a sister once. What's she like?" Ian asked, deciding to move the conversation away from himself and on to something much lighter.

"She met a rich guy, got engaged and calls every six months give or take," Mickey said, chuckling lightly at the huff of frustration. "I don't know what you want from me, man. I don't have anything uplifting when it comes to family shit."

"Okay, fine. Georgie. How'd you guys meet?" Ian asked, figuring it couldn't have been too bad if they had stayed friends and gotten an apartment together.

"She came in for a job interview, insulted the fuck out of me, and we went from there."

Ian snorted and shook his head. "Do you have any pleasant encounters with people?"

Mickey thought it over, furrowing his eyebrows. "Nah, probably not."

They continued laughing and exchanging stories as they ate until it was time for Ian to go back to work. It seemed they had really been getting the hang of this whole 'friends' thing and Ian found himself finishing the day in a better mood than he could remember ever being in. After that lunch, he knew the both of them could handle being just friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Twitter: Miilkobitch


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's probably a bunch of typos but I wanted to get this posted before midnight. I'll edit it soon!

Ian had been wrong. Monica hadn't fucked off at all. She had made herself busy for a few days, but she came crawling back and she somehow convinced him to go out to a club with her. Of course, Ian was buying all the drinks since all Monica had on her was a few dollars and half a pack of cigarettes. He didn't know what came over him when she suggested that they go out. He had been visiting Fiona and Monica came in, talking about how fun it would be to go out with her 'favorite son'. Ian couldn't bring himself to say no and as he watched his mom get a lap dance from one of the dancers, he wanted nothing more than the ability to decline every offer his mother made him. He was miserable to say the least.

There was no way he'd be able to get through this night without getting completely trashed. He was on his third beer, sitting at the bar while he sipped on it when Monica made her way back over to him, slipping her arm around his shoulders. He tried to shrug her off but she just held him tighter, pulling him closer to her.

“I'm so happy you decided to come out tonight!” She yelled over the music into his ear. “Isn't this fun?”

Ian sighed, setting his beer down on the bar top. His eyes flickered over to his mom's face briefly, feeling himself soften slightly when he saw how happy she was. He hated this part of himself. The part of himself that couldn't hate Monica no matter how hard he tried to.

“Yeah. It's a blast,” he lied, feeling the need to keep that smile on her face.

She squealed into his ear, making him flinch slightly before planting a sloppy kiss on his cheek and running off to go dance with someone. He chugged the rest of his beer and tapped the bar to get the bartender's attention so he could order a few shots.

“Bad night?” The bartender asked, the glitter on his tank top gleaming every time the lights would hit it.

“You could say that,” Ian grumbled, nodding his thanks when his shots were placed in front of him.

“I get off at two if you're gonna be around,” the bartender said, leaning over the bar so Ian could hear him better.

Ian raised an eyebrow, looking the guy over. “Top or bottom?” He asked, figuring the guy was attractive enough to let his frustrations out on.

“Top,” he replied, smirking lightly.

Ian was slightly disappointed at the information, knowing there was no way he was going to bottom and he was really in the mood to go back and forth with the guy, knowing he probably wouldn't budge either.

“Sorry, man. Not gonna happen,” Ian shrugged, picking up his first shot and threw it back.

The bartender seemed disappointed as well but simply nodded and walked away to get people their drinks. Ian knew that it would've been a dead end anyway. He'd tried really hard, but there was no one who could make him cum like Mickey did. He came to the conclusion that Mickey was the best bottom in the city and he didn't see the point in wasting his time finding a guy who could do what Mickey did. He wouldn't find it.

He gnawed on his lip and pulled his phone out, staring at it for a while, debating his next move. He grabbed another shot and threw it back, figuring his night couldn't possibly get much worse.

Ian (10:36 pm): U busy?

Mickey (10:39 pm): Nope and I plan on keepin it that way

Ian (10:40 pm): Plans change

Mickey (10:41 pm): Not these plans

Ian (10:43 pm): Mom dragged me out to a club and I'd much rather look at u than watch her get a lap dance from some queen

Mickey (10:44 pm): U really trying to get me to go out to some gay bar?

Ian (10:44 pm): I'll give u head

Mickey (10:45 pm): Pretty sure people don't give head to their friends

Ian (10:45 pm): I do

Mickey (10:50 pm): I'll meet you there. No head though.

Ian smiled down at his phone, sending one last text to let Mickey know which club they were at. He shoved his phone back into his pocket, taking the last shot and enjoyed the burning feeling in his throat.

Knowing Mickey was coming was enough to calm him, even if it was just a little bit. Knowing that there was nothing in it for Mickey made Ian feel even better. Unless it was family, Ian hadn't ever had anyone do anything for him unless they were getting something from him. It was a strange feeling; someone doing something for him just because they gave a shit. It was something that he wouldn't mind getting used to.

Ian got another beer before turning his body around so he was facing the entrance so he could see when Mickey walked in. In doing so, there was also less of a chance that he'd see Monica and that was always a plus in his book. Ian sipped on his beer, hoping that the slower pace would sober him up a little bit. He didn't necessarily want to be sloppy drunk when Mickey got there but he didn't want to be completely sober either.

When Mickey finally walked in a half an hour later, Ian couldn't help the smile that spread across his face. He'd blame it on the alcohol if anyone asked. Mickey's eyes fell on him and he nodded his head, making his way over to Ian.

“Thanks for coming. I know it's an inconvenience. I appreciate it,” Ian said as Mickey took the seat next to him.

Mickey waved him off, shaking his head. “Don't. It's not a big deal. Know how shitty things are when you gotta be around her. I'm fine with being your buffer.”

Ian nodded and bought Mickey a beer. They sat and drank their beverages, not saying much at all. It would've been an inconvenience to talk anyway. It was much too loud and neither of them really wanted to yell. So Ian just let Mickey’s presence soothe him in ways he didn't think were possible.

Ian had to fight the urge to groan when Monica reappeared, squeezing between the two of them and draped her arms around their shoulders. Mickey's face scrunched up in disgust the second he felt her brushing up against him. Ian gave Mickey a look of apology, knowing how much he hated to be casually touched. Mickey simply sighed, adjusting his glasses on his face.

“Ian, who's your friend?” Monica asked excitedly.

“Monica, Mickey. Mickey, Monica,” he introduced lazily before taking a sip of his beer.

Monica took her arm away from Ian shoulders and wrapped it around Mickey, engulfing him in a tight hug. Ian could see Mickey becoming more and more uncomfortable with the situation and seeing how Monica was making the older man feel brought his mood back down significantly.

“Monica, stop,” Ian said, standing up and prying her away from Mickey. “You can't just treat strangers like you've known them your whole life,” he said once he finally got her to let him go.

She waved her son off and went back to Mickey, smiling brightly at him. “Are you Ian’s boyfriend?”

Mickey sniffed and shook his head. “Nope. Just friends.”

Ian didn't think it was possible, but Monica seemed to perk up even more at the information. “Good, because there's a guy right over there,” she said, pointing to the far corner of the room, “who has been eyeing you since the second you walked in this place.”

Ian sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, shaking his head in irritation. He heard Mickey start to tell her to fuck off but walked away before he could hear anything else. The room was closing in on itself, too many bodies, too many noises, too much Monica, and he was way too drunk to keep a level head.

He made his way into the bathroom and when he saw that no one else was in any of the other stalls, he locked the door, needing to be alone. He put his hands on the edge of the sink, dropping his head between his shoulders as he tried to deep and calming breaths. It wasn't working, though. Nothing seemed to be working as far as trying to calm himself down. He tried pacing, deep breaths, splashing some cold water on his face, distracting himself with thoughts of anything other than Monica or Mickey hooking up with some guy he met after Ian had invited him here.

He hated Monica for putting that in his head. The last thing he wanted to think about was Mickey getting railed by some other guy. He knew that what he was feeling was jealousy. He wasn't as emotionally unaware as people thought he was. He'd felt jealousy with Mickey before when he found those hickeys on Mickey's neck, but this was different. Before, he felt jealous because they were fucking. He had thought they were only fucking each other and Mickey had never let Ian leave marks on him. It was more like a competition that time. But this… this was a jealousy that had no explanation. They weren't fucking, they weren't together in any way, they were simply just friends. There was no reason for Ian to be jealous of some guy potentially fucking his friend, but here he was, nearly throwing a drunken temper tantrum in the bathroom of a gay club just because Monica had suggested that Mickey fuck someone.

Ian jumped slightly when there was a pounding on the door, closing his eyes momentarily in hopes of grounding himself. The pounding continued and Ian heard voices yelling on the other side, telling him to open up. He sighed and unlocked the door, pulling it open just as a few guys were about to start knocking again. He pushed through them, needing nothing more than another drink.

He stopped in his tracks when his eyes fell on Mickey. He was sitting on a bar stool, a guy that was probably just a little shorter than Ian saying something into Mickey's ear with a smile on his face. Ian couldn't see Mickey's face but he was naive enough to believe that Mickey wasn't enjoying it. From what Ian could see, the guy was attractive. Dark hair, perfect teeth, built. Mickey would be insane to turn him down. Hell, Ian wasn't even sure if he, himself, would turn the guy down. Bottom or not, if he wasn't weirdly strung up on Mickey, they could negotiate.

Ian clenched his jaw, walking quickly towards Mickey and his new companion. He inserted himself in between them, forcing the guy to take a few steps back.

“He's not interested,” Ian said simply, giving him a hard look.

“You his boyfriend?” The guy asked, raising an eyebrow.

“The fuck did I just say to you? He's not fuckin’ interested,” Ian snapped, his words slightly slurred from the alcohol consumption.

The guy put his hands up in mock surrender, backing up a little before he turned around completely and walked away. Ian went around Mickey, ignoring the confused look being thrown his way. He grabbed his beer and chugged it, putting the bottle back on the bar. He nodded his head to himself as he went over the thoughts in his head.

“Gallagher what the fu-” Mickey started, but was cut off by Ian's lips pressing against his. Mickey didn't miss a beat, standing up and pressed his hands to Ian's chest, pushing the taller man away.

“What the fuck has gotten into you?!” Mickey asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

Ian took a step forward, getting back into Mickey's space. He smirked a little, curling his index fingers in Mickey’s belt loops and pulled him closer. Mickey sighed heavily, shaking his head.

“You're drunk,” Mickey stated, keeping as much distance between them without really fighting him of either.

“So what if I am?” Ian challenged, leaning his face closer to Mickey's.

Mickey's tongue darted out, wetting his lips as his eyes scanned Ian's face. Ian didn't make any further advances because even in his drunken state, he wanted Mickey to feel comfortable. He knew that if he was as sober as Mickey, he probably wouldn't be very comfortable either, so he let Mickey decide.

“Tell me to stop,” Ian said quietly in Mickey's ear, pulling back a little so he could watch as the shorter man contemplated his options.

Mickey shook his and grabbed the back of Ian's neck, pressing their lips together. Ian didn't waste any time, one of his hands traveling up to the side of Mickey's face. He nearly moaned when Mickey's tongue slipped across his bottom lip, causing his jaw to fall slightly. Their tongues curls around each other, hands roaming each other's bodies, pressed so tightly together a piece of paper wouldn't be able to slid between them. The music blared in the background as they became lost in each other and Ian was internally kicking himself for not doing this sooner.

Ian pulled back, just enough to talk but not too much so that their lips were still brushing together with every word he spoke.

“Let's get out of here,” Ian murmured, playing with the hair on the back of Mickey's neck.

“What about Monica?”

Ian shook his head. “Don't. Let's just go.”

Mickey agreed and Ian closed their tab, ordering an Uber as they made their way outside. Ian could hardly keep his hands off of Mickey and eager as hell to get him home. It had been far too long. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Twitter: Miilkobitch


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Longest chapter yet! This is a continuation of the last chapter

Georgie had just finished the dishes, happy that she could go to bed without worrying about the task in the morning. It was rare that Mickey ever did the dishes. He did a lot around the apartment but Georgie couldn't get him to clean a plate if his life depended on it, so it was up to her. She didn't mind much, though. She often found herself getting lost in her thoughts and she'd almost consider it therapeutic.

She dried her hands off and made her way to the living room, ready to get lost in a really good book until she was ready to go to bed. She plopped down on the couch and sighed contently, happy that Mickey had decided to go out. She was happy to have some peace and quiet. That was until the door of their apartment was being pushed open and she was hit with the sight of Ian and Mickey being joined at the lips, pushing each other's jackets off.

They stumbled through the apartment in the direction of Mickey's room, not seeming to notice that Georgie was there at all. She'd never seen Mickey kiss anyone before. He had a ‘no kissing’ policy for as long as she had known him. She was pretty sure he had never kissed anyone before in his life. Saying that it was a weird sight to see him kissing someone would be the understatement of the century.

If Mickey was kissing Ian, that meant he had to feel more than he was letting on, and that meant Georgie had been right all along. She wanted nothing more in that moment than to gloat. She wanted to rub it in Mickey's face, she wanted to dance, but mostly, she was just really happy for her best friend. He had never opened his heart to anyone before and while it would probably still be awhile before he opened his heart to Ian, he was taking steps in the right direction.

Ian looked over his shoulder just as he was backing Mickey into his bedroom and said, “headphones,” before he connected their lips once again.

“I expect pancakes and a whole speech about how right I was in the morning,” Georgie said to Mickey as she reached for her headphones that were placed on the coffee table. She smirked to herself when Mickey flipped her off just before the door shut behind them. It was going to be a long night.

On the other side of the door, Mickey grunted as Ian pushed him so he was sitting on the bed. He pushed his hands up Ian's shirt, biting his lip with a shake of his head. “This fuckin’ body, man,” he said, pushing Ian's shirt up so he could get a better look. Ian smirked a little and pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it somewhere in the room. Mickey's mouth watered as he took in the sight, leaning forward and dragged his lips from just beneath Ian's nipple down to his belly button.

“Gonna suck my cock?” Ian asked, running his fingers through Mickey's hair. Mickey eagerly nodded, going straight for Ian's belt. The alcohol made the task of getting it off a little more difficult than he expected but he got it off, hearing it fall to the ground just as he got his fingers on the button of Ian's jeans.

When Ian's pants and boxers were down to his thighs and his cock was standing proudly away from his body, Mickey held his tongue out and moaned lowly when a drip of precum hit his taste buds. He wrapped his lips tightly around the tip, putting his hands on Ian's hips to pull him closer.

He never really got the chance to see Ian’s body. Sure, it had been presented to him on countless occasions but he never really looked at it. He had always been more wrapped up in getting from point A to point B. It was always about getting off. He wanted to take his time this time, though, so as he took Ian further into his mouth, he kept his eyes open, letting them admire every inch of Ian that was exposed to him. The way Ian's Adam's apple bobbed every time he’d swallow. When Ian tilted his head back, Mickey wanted suck on his neck just as much as he wanted to suck his cock. He pictured it with dark purple bruises all over it, he pictured wrapping his hand around it, he imagined what it would feel like to drag his tongue from the dip of his collarbone to right below his ear. He moved his eyes down to Ian's arms, appreciating the amount of time he had to have put in to get them so defined. The cuts in his stomach, the dips that started at his hips and went down to just above his dick. Ian's thighs were the perfect size. They were muscular and thick and Mickey couldn't help himself when he dragged his hands down to feel them out. Ian's ass, though, was a work of art. Topping wasn't Mickey's thing in the slightest, but he could appreciate a good ass when he saw one.

He ran his hands up to Ian's ass, gripping both cheeks tightly and pulled him even further down his throat. Ian moaned, pushing his fingers into Mickey's hair and tugged on it gently. When Ian started rolling his hips, chasing the heat of Mickey's mouth, the older man let go of one ass cheek to undo his pants and push that hand into his own boxers. He wrapped his hand around his cock in hopes of relieving a bit of the pressure that was building up.

“Like suckin’ that cock, don't you?” Ian muttered, licking his lips as he watched his dick slip back and forth between Mickey's.

Mickey only nodded, taking Ian all the way down his throat until he gagged. He took a deep breath and ignored the water that was building up in his eyes, focusing strictly on Ian's face, noticing how red and sweaty it was.

“Fuck, you're so good,” Ian complimented, the statement only making Mickey's cock harder. He hated to admit it, but he loved being praised. He loved being told he was doing a good job. He loved knowing that he was making someone else feel good. It drove him to perform even better.

He let Ian's cock fall from his mouth, tilting his head slightly so he could suck the taller man's balls into his mouth. Ian's legs started shaking when Mickey's tongue swiped over his perineum and he pushed Mickey back gently by the shoulder.

“You gotta stop,” he said, letting out a deep sigh when Mickey did as he was told. “Get on the bed.”

Mickey didn't miss a beat, pulling his shirt off as he got off of his knees and got comfortable on the bed. He bit down on his lip as he watched Ian strip the rest of his clothes off. When he finished, he turned his focus to Mickey's clothes, seeming almost irritated that he was still wearing any at all. Mickey watched in amusement as Ian took it into his own hands, pulling off anything and everything that was covering Mickey's body besides his boxers.

“Better?” Mickey teased, raising his eyebrows.

“Much better,” Ian smiled, sliding into the spot between Mickey's leg, slotting their lips together gently.

Mickey wasn't sure that he had ever kissed anyone before. He'd always avoided it. It was too intimate for him and he didn't much see the point in kissing if you were going to fuck. He'd never had an issue getting hard without kissing and he was sure that he'd still be able to get wood without the assistance of kissing. Kissing Ian, though, it had to have been better than kissing anyone else in the world. He couldn't imagine anyone else kissing him like this and getting the same reaction out of him. Ian was different. Ian could probably get Mickey to do whatever the hell he wanted him to do and Mickey would do it with a damn smile on his face simply because it was Ian.

Ian slipped his tongue into Mickey's mouth, one of his hands sliding gently up and down Mickey's side. Mickey put a hand on the back of Ian's neck, bringing their mouths and bodies impossibly closer. Mickey felt like he couldn't get close enough. He used his other hand to trail down Ian's back until it found his ass, squeezing and releasing one of the cheek repeatedly. Mickey let out a low moan as Ian began rolling his hips, his bare cock rubbing against Mickey's clothed one.

When Ian disconnected their lips, he dragged his own down Mickey's jaw until he reached the older man's neck, biting and sucking on it gently.

“Marks okay?” Ian asked and Mickey could hear the hopefulness in his voice.

Mickey simply nodded, letting his head fall back against the pillows and shut his eyes. He ran his fingers through Ian's hair, feeling his body relax under Ian's. Ian worked at his neck for a while before dragging his lips further down his body, dropping small kisses and bites in random spots until he got down to Mickey's hips. Mickey was just about to take his glasses off when Ian made a noise that sounded almost painful.

“Don't take them off. You look sexy as fuck with them on,” Ian said, letting a smile form on his lips when Mickey rolled his eyes playfully. He obeyed, putting his glasses back into place as Ian continued leaving kisses on every inch of his exposed skin.

“Look so good,” Mickey complimented, licking his lips as his eyes raked over every dip of Ian's muscular back. He could see Ian's face turn a mild shade of red and the redhead wrapped his fingers around the band of Mickey's boxers, pulling them off and threw them in a random direction before he attached his lips to Mickey's inner thigh, sucking small bruises into it.

Mickey let out a shaky breath, getting lost in the feeling of Ian everywhere. Ian reached up, silently asking Mickey to hand him some lube. Mickey did just that, bending his knees and planting his feet flat on the mattress so Ian had access to his hole. He watched as Ian coated his fingers with the oil and teasingly ran them over Mickey's entrance. He did it enough times to have Mickey squirming and begging for more.

“Please, Ian. Just… something. Do something,” he practically whined, lifting his hips slightly which made the tip of his cock knock against Ian's lips.

Ian looked up at him, smirking a little bit before sticking his tongue out flatly. Mickey couldn't help himself. He rolled his hips, needing some sort of friction. He watched as his cock moved up and down on Ian's tongue, wanting nothing more than to have Ian's long fingers inside of him and his hot little mouth wrapped around him. His prayers were half answered when he felt a single finger begin to work its way inside of him and Ian began dragging his lips over every inch of his cock. He refused to put it in his mouth, clearly getting a kick out of teasing Mickey.

Ian started pumping his finger, only adding a second finger when the first one was sliding easily in and out, depriving Mickey of the sting he loved so much. He ghosted his lips over Mickey's balls, obviously feeling very proud of himself when Mickey began letting out ragged breaths.

“Will you just hurry the fuck up?” Mickey asked exasperatedly, slowly losing his patience with the redhead.

Ian chuckled lowly and finally slipped in a third finger, twisting and turning them, quickly but thoroughly loosening him up. When he started reaching blindly for his jeans, Mickey rolled his eyes, seeing them lying much too far from the bed for Ian to grab them without getting up. Mickey reached into his nightstand drawer, pulling a condom out and handed it to Ian.

When Ian grabbed it and looked it over, he smirked. “You keep my size in your nightstand?”

“You're not the the only guy in Chicago with a big dick, Gallagher. Don't get cocky. Just get the fuck on me.”

Ian snorted and got to his knees, sliding the condom securely on his cock. He lubed himself up before putting his hands on the back of Mickey's thighs, pushing his legs up until his knees were pressed to his chest. Mickey let out a slow breath of relief when Ian finally started to slip into him.

He'd probably never admit it out loud, but he knew that Ian had ruined him. There was no way he'd ever be able to have sex with another man without comparing him to Ian. No man could stretch him out the way Ian could, no man could hit all the right spots at the perfect time like Ian could. Sex with Ian was different than it was with anyone else. With anyone else, Mickey's only goal was to get off. With Ian, though, he care about the redhead’s pleasure just as much as he cared about his own. He wanted to be good for Ian.

Once Mickey had adjusted to the feeling of being full, Ian started drilling into him like he always did. He was never gentle, he was never slow, exactly how Mickey liked it. Mickey was a shameless, moaning mess underneath him. He never had to hold back his noises with Ian. Mickey knew that Ian loved the validation of how good he was doing and Ian was the only man that was deserving of Mickey's noises.

“So good,” Ian breathed, biting down on his bottom lip as he watched his cock move in and out of Mickey's hole. “Always so good for me.”

“Wanna ride you,” Mickey breathed, letting his legs fall from Ian's hold, smirking as Ian responded immediately and lay flat on his back next to Mickey.

Mickey lifted himself up and straddled Ian's waist, reaching back to hold Ian's cock in place. He let out a shuddering breath as he lowered himself on the redhead’s dick, pressing his hands flat on Ian's chest as he started bouncing. Mickey hummed lowly when Ian reached back and gripped Mickey's ass in both of his hands, lifting him up and down at a steady pace. Mickey tilted his head back, letting himself get lost in the feeling of his prostate being hit every two seconds. He adjusted his glasses, feeling them slip due to the continuous movement. Mickey stopped his bouncing, letting his hips roll so he could catch his breath.

“C’mere,” Ian said, one hand slipping from Mickey's ass so he could wrap it around the back of the older man's neck, pulling him down so he could kiss him deeply. Mickey allowed it, finding that the taste of Ian's mouth was probably his favorite.

As their tongues tangled together, Ian used his other arm to wrap tightly around Mickey's waist and began drilling into him again. The thrusts made their kiss even sloppier, each one making it harder to keep their lips connected. It was all very overwhelming. The new feeling of having another set of lips attached to his, the neverending jabs at his prostate, strong arms holding him in place. Mickey was sure that he'd end up blacking out at any moment. Before he even knew what was happening, he was moaning into Ian's mouth, his cum shooting between them. He disconnected their lips, resting his forehead on Ian's shoulder as he was fucked through his orgasm.

“Holy fuck. You just came untouched,” Ian said in awe, his thrusts coming to a halt.

Mickey snorted and shook his head, his breathing still heavy. He turned his head and sucked softly on Ian, trying to get his head back to earth so he could get off as well but Ian gently pushed Mickey off of him. Mickey watched in curiosity once he was laying on his back as Ian pulled the empty condom off of his cock. It was only when Ian straddled his chest that he knew what was coming next. He smirked and held his tongue out as Ian tugged on his dick, aiming right for Mickey's mouth. It wasn't long until Ian's body tensed up and he was covering Mickey's face with his cum. Mickey caught as much of it on his tongue as he could, but most of it ended up all over his glasses. Ian rolled off of him once he finished and chuckled lightly as he tried to catch his breath.

Mickey pulled his glasses off and shook his head, grabbing the rag that he kept near his bed to wipe his face off before he did the same with his glasses. “All over my fuckin’ glasses, man. They're not some weird sex toy, y’know. I actually fuckin’ need ‘em.”

Ian looked over at him and smiled, taking Mickey's glasses from him and put them on the nightstand before cradling Mickey's jaw and kissed him gently. Mickey reciprocated the kiss, scooting just a little bit closer to the redhead.

When the kiss broke, Ian nudged his nose against Mickey's. “We’ll probably have to talk about this at some point,” he muttered.

“Not tonight,” Mickey said, laying his head comfortably on the pillow.

Mickey didn't necessarily want to talk about it at all. He hated talking. He'd put it off for as long as possible and for right now, his only tactic was sleeping, so that's what he did. He rolled on to his side with his back facing Ian and closed his eyes, too tired to even object to the arm that Ian was sliding around his waist. Ian simply pulled him closer and Mickey let himself melt into it, not having the energy to pretend anymore.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Twitter: Miilkobitch


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is about half the size of the last one, but I'm happy with it. I hope you guys will be, too. 

When Ian woke up the next morning, he instinctively tensed up, feeling the warmth of another body under his arm. He couldn't help it. He wasn't sure that he'd ever get used to something like this. He wasn't sure that Mickey would let him get used to it, no matter how bad he wanted to. He had been pretty drunk the night before, but he couldn't honestly say he regretted even a second of it. He could still feel Mickey's lips on his, he could still see the determination in Mickey's eyes the second he decided that kissing Ian was something he wanted to do, he could still taste Mickey's tongue in his mouth. It hadn't been his first kiss, but it was definitely the only kiss worth remembering.

The last time Ian had woken up like this, he was too freaked to really pay attention to anything other than the fact that he was completely out of his comfort zone. This time, though, while still nowhere near comfortable, he let himself be in the moment. He let himself really take Mickey in. His eyes fluttered open and he was instantly faced with Mickey's sleeping face. He looked peaceful. Like nothing bad had ever happened to him. But when Ian focused more, he realized that that wasn't true at all. Mickey's nose was slightly crooked, clearly having being broken a couple times and not set properly. He had a scar on his forehead, and growing up on the south side, Ian could tell that it had been the result of being pistol whipped. If he hadn't known a single thing about Mickey, Ian would assume that the older man got his eyebrows professionally shaped, but they were simply Mickey’s eyebrows. Never had they been toyed with. His lashes weren't outrageously long, but they were a prominent part of his face. His lips were slightly parted, looking just as pillowy as they always did. Light freckles were scattered all over his face, each one unique.

Ian couldn't stop the small smile that twitched at his lips as he came to one realization: Mickey Milkovich was beautiful. That had never been lost on him. Not since the moment he laid eyes on him in Donté’s all those months ago. But he was just now taking the time to really acknowledge it and he almost hated himself for not doing it sooner. He gently moved his arm from around Mickey's waist, ghosting his fingers over the pale skin of his side. He wanted to memorize every dip and curve of Mickey's body. He was going to make sure that he didn't leave a single inch unstudied.

Ian noticed that Mickey's eyebrows woke up way before the rest of him did. He never seemed to have control over his eyebrows. They were always either pulled together or raised high on his forehead. Sometimes both. It was something Ian didn't think he'd ever stop being fascinated by.

“What are you doing?” Mickey asked with his eyes still shut, his voice rough with sleep.

“Being creepy,” Ian said casually, running his fingers through Mickey's messy hair, smiling when Mickey pushed into the touch.

“Be creepy when it's not early as shit,” Mickey grumbled.

Ian figured Mickey must be too tired to recognize the fact that last night had actually happened. Too tired to realize that his legs were tangled between Ian’s. Too tired to think that it was anything other than a dream. He was sure that Mickey would tense up the second he came back to earth. But then Mickey's eyes opened and he seemed fine. Not bothered in the least.

“You okay?” Ian asked skeptically, raising his eyebrows.

Mickey rolled his eyes. “Fuck off,” he replied without any heat.

Ian chuckled lightly and leaned forward, brushing his lips against Mickey's. He was pleased when Mickey didn't make a move to push him away. He was less pleased when their collective morning breath hit him in the nose, but he did his best to ignore it, adding more pressure to Mickey's lips. Both of their lips were far more chapped than they had been last night, the mix of stale alcohol and morning breath tasted pretty disgusting, and the kiss was much more gentle than any kiss he'd ever given or received. It wasn't perfect to say the least, but it was Mickey. After getting a taste of what it was like to kiss Mickey, Ian couldn't stop. Ian was a metaphorical heroin addict, Mickey was the drug, and his lips were the needle.

Mickey pulled back, looking at Ian with a smirk on his lips. “Your breath smells disgusting.”

Ian snorted and lightly pushed Mickey away from him. “Your breath isn't much better, asshole.”

They stayed quiet for awhile, just taking each other in, realizing the situation they had gotten themselves into. They were in too deep. They both knew that. Their no kissing rule had put a wall between them, prevented them from becoming anything remotely romantic. It prevented them from being intimate. They broke that rule and now there was no going back. That wall had crumbled the second Mickey had decided their rules could go fuck themselves and covered Ian's lips with his own and there was no rebuilding it. The wall would never be built the same way. There would always be something off, even if it was something minor.

“We fucked up,” Ian murmured, tracing Mickey's jawline with the tip of his index finger.

Mickey nodded his head in agreement, not taking his eyes away from Ian's face. “Yeah… We did.”

“Not gonna be able to stop kissing you now. Not gonna be able to see you give another guy your attention,” Ian told him, gnawing on his bottom lip.

Mickey snorted. “You couldn't handle another guy being anywhere near me even before we kissed. Last night wasn't the first time I saw your jealous side, Gallagher.”

“I wouldn't say I was jealous,” Ian argued weakly, hoping his neck wasn't betraying him by turning red.

“Yeah, okay, tough guy,” Mickey chuckled, shaking his head. The action made his hair even messier and the sight had Ian pulling the older man even closer, needing him to be as close as possible.

“Okay, maybe I was a little jealous,” Ian mumbled, pecking Mickey's lips softly. “So, what are we gonna do about this?”

“You were serious about that talk?” Mickey asked, screwing his face up.

Ian nodded. “Like I said, I'm not gonna be able to stop kissing you now that I've done it.”

“Never done shit like this before. Don't really know how it works.”

“You think I do? I think we're supposed to figure it out together.”

“What exactly is ‘it’?” Mickey asked, raising one of his perfectly arched brows.

“Fuck if I know. Are we just going back to being fuck buddies? Fuck buddies who kiss and fuckin’ cuddle?” Ian chuckled, trailing his fingers down Mickey's arm.

Mickey sighed softly, rolling onto his back and stared at the ceiling. “I think that's called a relationship.”

Ian knew where there the conversation as going. Of course, he did, but that didn't stop the words from having an effect on him. He rolled onto his back as well and ran his hands over his face. He never thought he'd find himself in this position. He was sure that he'd be fucking around for the rest of his life. He never saw himself, what, settling down? That wasn't his reality. That wasn't how his life was going to end up.

“That what you wanna do?” Mickey asked, turning his head to the side so he was looking at Ian's profile.

Ian snorted. “I don't fuckin’ know. Is it what you want?”

Mickey shrugged. “I don't know either.”

Ian gnawed on his bottom lip, grabbing Mickey's hand and laced their fingers together. He stared at their hands, smiling at the way they fit together perfectly. Loving the warmth, and the sight of Mickey's knuckle tattoos standing out next to Ian's bare knuckles.

“No harm in trying, right?” He asked, looking over to see Mickey's eyes glued to their hands. “If it doesn't work, it doesn't work. We can say we tried.”

Mickey was silent for a while, seeming to think it over. There were a lot of pros and cons that came with the situation. The pros being that they were definitely compatible sexually, they didn't hate each other, waking up with someone next to them wasn't the worst feeling they had ever felt. The cons being that they had no fucking clue what they were doing, they were way out of their comfort zone, it could easily go up in flames. Ian would be lying if he said that this didn't scare the hell out of him. The way he was feeling, this conversation, Mickey in general. It all terrified the piss out of him. But part of him was sure that Mickey would be worth it.

“What the hell, I don't got shit to lose,” Mickey said finally, still not looking at Ian.

Ian's lips curled into a smile and he squeezed Mickey's hand. “Yeah. Me either.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Twitter: Miilkobitch


	21. Chapter 21

All Ian could think about was taking a shower and laying down for a nap. He was exhausted. Between dealing with teenagers all day and being with Mickey most nights, he wasn't getting nearly enough sleep. He relied on coffee to keep him standing, but he was developing a tolerance to the caffeine and it seemed like he had to make the coffee stronger everyday. He figured at this rate, it wouldn't be long before he was abandoning the pot and mug and simply eating the coffee beans with a spoon. As much as he wanted to complain, though, he was happy. Teaching was something he had always wanted to do and fucking his boyfriend all hours of the night was definitely not something he had a problem with.

Boyfriend. It was still such a strange concept to him, even after being together for a month. It wasn't easy, either. Every time he saw a guy that he wanted to rail into, he was reminded that he couldn't do that anymore. Sure, sex with Mickey was better than anyone else he'd ever had sex with. That wasn't the problem. The problem was that he couldn't do it. He wasn't used to not being able to do whatever he wanted whenever he wanted to do it. He didn't necessarily want to fuck anyone else, but Ian had always been more tempted to do something when he wasn't supposed to do it. He was adjusting to say the least.

Ian adjusted his book bag on his shoulder before unlocking the door to the apartment he shared with his brother. The last thing he needed to see when he walked into his apartment after a long day of work was some random girl riding his brother on their couch. He groaned and covered his eyes with his hand. He wasn't in the mood for this shit.

“Come the fuck on, Lip. Really?” Ian asked, hearing his brother chuckle quietly. That only made Ian want to strangle him even more.

“Should've knocked, man,” Lip suggested. Ian knew his brother well and he knew that the statement had been followed with a shrug.

“This is my apartment, too. I pay half the bills. I should be able to walk in here without being scarred for life. You have a fuckin’ bedroom. You ever think of usin’ it?” Ian asked, getting more and more frustrated as the seconds passed.

“We’ll be done soon,” a feminine voice responded, sounding very out of breath.

Ian nearly growled in irritation. “I'm going to Donté’s to grade some papers. Move it to your room by the time I get back,” Ian said, turning to leave. “And I'm taking your car,” he added, snatching the keys from the table next to the door, ignoring Lip’s protests as he left, shutting the door firmly behind him.

Ian was getting more and more fed up with Lip with every day that passed. He wished that this had been the first time he had walked into their apartment and found himself in the exact position he had been in just moment earlier, but it was far from it. It happened a few times in the beginning, and while disgusted, he didn't get too upset. Lip had gotten used to living alone and fucking wherever he wanted to. Ian couldn't blame him in the beginning. But it had been nearly six months since Ian had moved in and it just kept happening more frequently as the time passed.

Ian sighed heavily as he climbed into Lip’s red Chevy Sprint, throwing his book bag in the passenger seat. The car wasn't easy on the eyes at all. The paint was chipped and there were a few dents and scratches, but it ran. It got you from point A to point B, so there wasn't really any complaining from either of them. If Ian could avoid using it, he usually did, but he needed to get out of there as fast as possible.

He couldn't help but to let out a breath of relief when he finally parked the car in the parking lot of Donté’s and shut the car off. He grabbed his book bag and made his way inside, seeing Georgie as soon as he did. She was clearly hosting that night and Ian was grateful. He flashed her a smile, trying to be as genuine as possible despite his sour mood, and adjusted his book bag on his shoulder.

“I'll slip you a twenty if you sit me in Mickey's section,” he said, raising his eyebrows.

She snorted and picked up a menu. “Would've done it without the money, but I expect to have it by the time you leave,” she teased, leading him to a booth near the back of the restaurant.

With all the time that Ian had been spending over at their apartment, he and Georgie had gotten pretty close. They were comfortable around each other. Ian assumed that that probably would've been a deal breaker for his boyfriend if they didn't get along, so it was a relief when Ian talked to her for longer than it took to get from the front door to Mickey’s room and found that she was a genuinely great person.

“Bad day?” She asked, putting a menu down in front of Ian as he took a seat.

Ian chuckled lightly and nodded. “Yeah, kinda. How could you tell?”

“I'm an actress. I can tell when a smile is just for show. Needed Mickey to ground you a little?” She asked, no judgment in her voice at all.

Ian blushed a little at being caught, but nodded nonetheless.

“Yeah, he's pretty good at that. I'll let him know you're here,” she said, stepping away from Ian's table to go find her best friend.

He had to agree. Mickey's presence had a habit of lifting the weight off his shoulders, making all of his problems seem less significant. Mickey always seemed to be scowling and annoyed, but Ian felt calm around him. It was easy to be happy around Mickey.

Ian pulled out the tests that he needed to grade from his book bag, along with a pen, and checked to make sure the table was clean enough to set them on. It was, so he pushed his menu to the other side of the table and got to work. The chaos in the restaurant didn't bother him much. It almost reminded him of living at the Gallagher house. He was right at home. The noise, the rushing, the waiters dodging each other quickly to avoid being knocked down. It gave him a sense of familiarity.

It wasn't long before he was interrupted by his boyfriend. “The fuck are you doing here?” He asked rudely, his facial expression seeming irritated as hell when Ian looked up.

“Can't tell if you're in character or if you're actually this disgusted by me,” Ian chuckled, setting his pen down.

“What fuckin’ character? Never liked your ass,” Mickey said gruffly, crossing his arms over his chest.

Ian felt his whole body relax in the presence of Mickey. The older man was exactly what he needed to rid him of his troubles.

“You like my ass plenty. You wouldn't grab it every chance you get if you didn't,” Ian replied, flicking his eyebrow up.

Mickey rolled his bottom lip between his teeth to hold back a smile, but his eyes gave him away. His eyes always gave him away. “Yeah, okay. What the fuck do you want to drink?”

“Just coffee. Got a lot of work to do. You know how I like it,” Ian answered, picking his pen back up and tapped it on the table.

Mickey snorted and nodded. “You plan on eating anything?”

“Yeah, but I can't eat what I want until you get off work,” Ian said, smirking as he looked back down at his papers and marked an answer wrong.

“How many corny innuendos are you planning on making while you're here?”

Ian shrugged. “When the opportunity presents itself, I gotta take the bait.”

“You make my job really fuckin’ easy. It's not hard to make fun of you at all,” Mickey replied, grabbing Ian's menu.

Ian smiled brightly and slapped Mickey's ass. “Go get me my coffee, bitch.”

Mickey scowled at the redhead but didn't protest when Ian grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him in for a sweet kiss. When they pulled apart, Mickey flipped him off before turning on his heels and making his way back to the kitchen.

Ian chuckled to himself and got back to grading the papers. It was then that he decided he probably wasn't going back home that night. He wanted to spend the night doing nothing but fucking his boyfriend before tangling their bodies together and falling asleep with him. There was really nothing like it. He felt safe when he was wrapped around the dark haired man. Mickey sat Ian's coffee down in front of him, careful not to let any of it spill onto the papers. He was about to walk away, but Ian caught his wrist before he could.

“Mind if I stay with you tonight?” Ian asked, looking at Mickey hopefully.

Mickey shrugged. “Yeah, whatever. You know where the spare key is.”

Ian shook his head. “I'll stick around. I took Lip’s car. I'll give you guys a ride so you don't have to spend half an hour on the L.”

“Well aren't you just thoughtful,” Mickey replied sarcastically.

This job really was perfect for Mickey. He was always grumpy and he could really be himself when he was working without being scolded. It was no secret that Mickey loved this job. Ian was sure that he had never once heard his boyfriend complain about his actual job. Sure, he'd complain after a busy shift or an early one, but the job itself was something Mickey genuinely loved doing and he was good at it. Ian wasn't naive enough to think that waiting tables was an easy job. The redhead had watched Mickey work more times than he could count and he knew that he'd never be able to do what the older man does without fucking up regularly.

“You think anyone's ever gotten a dick stuck in their throat and died?” Ian asked, tilting his head to the side.

Mickey scrunched his face up, looking at Ian like he had grown a second head. “I don't fuckin’ know. Probably.”

“I think that's one hell of a way to go. I think we should test it out tonight,” Ian said, trying to keep his face solemn.

Mickey snorted and shook his head. “Only a month and you're already trying to kill me off? Think that's probably a sign it's not working.”

Ian let himself smirk, placing his hand on Mickey's hip. “You've been keeping track?”

“Fuck off,” Mickey scoffed, batting Ian's hand away. “Grade your fuckin’ papers. Don't bother me unless you need a refill.”

Ian chuckled to himself as Mickey practically stomped away from him. He was happy. Being in a relationship wasn't easy for him by any means, but Mickey sure seemed worth it.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Twitter: Miilkobitch


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, I blame Elijah Daniel for the amount of time I spent putting this chapter off. How does one focus when a legend is noticing you on twitter twice in one week? 
> 
> But actually I'm just a piece of shit and idk how I feel about this chapter bc it's been frustrating me so much lately and I'm posting it completely unedited bc I want it out of my life for a while.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you guys like this different version of Mandy. Idk why I wanted to write her like this so bad but whatever. Enjoy my mediocrity.

Mickey cursed the day that Georgie had gotten Mandy’s number from his phone. The last thing he wanted was for his best friend and his sister to become friends. Nothing good would ever come of it. That was confirmed to him when Georgie had come into his room the other night. Ian was sleeping soundly with his head on Mickey's chest while Mickey was too busy staring at the redhead to even think about going to sleep.

He immediately shushed her when she came in, not wanting the noise to wake his boyfriend. “The fuck do you want?” He asked quietly.

“Mandy is coming to visit. We're all going out when she gets here,” Georgie told him with a wide grin on her face.

“Mandy? You mean my bitch of a sister?” Mickey asked, raising an eyebrow at his best friend.

She nodded excitedly, waving her phone in his face. “Yeah, she’ll be here on Friday. The four of us are gonna go to the bar and you two will catch up.”

“The fuck do you mean by ‘the four of us’? Who the fuck else is going to be there?” Mickey asked incredulously.

“Ian, dumb ass. She's excited to meet the man who finally got her brother to commit,” she chuckled, messing up Mickey's hair a little.

He batted her hands away and shook his head. “No. Fuck no. I am not doing some stupid ass ‘meet the family’ bullshit. Not happening.”

Georgie snorted, sitting on the bed carefully so she wouldn't interrupt Ian's sleep. “You think you're gonna be able to stay with Ian without introducing him to your family?”

“I was fuckin’ hopin’ so. There's no reason for them to meet each other.”

“Will you guys shut the fuck up?” Ian asked, burying his face deep into Mickey's neck. “I'll meet your sister, we’ll get it over with, it'll be fine.”

“When the fuck did you wake up?” Mickey asked, holding Ian closer to his body.

“When Georgie barged her ass in here,” he grumbled. “Should probably start knocking. We could've been fucking.” Ian had yet to open his eyes and he didn't make a single move to untangle himself from Mickey.

“Please, I always know when you guys are fucking. Can't even be quiet while getting head,” Georgie replied, reaching over Mickey's body to slap Ian on the ass.

“Keep your fuckin hands off of him,” Mickey said at the same time that Ian had said “spank me harder,” which made Mickey crave a cigarette more than he ever had in his life.

Georgie laughed and stood up, sporting a bright smile. “Okay, you guys better be ready by seven o'clock on Friday.”

“Okay, we will, go away,” Ian said, planting small kisses on Mickey's bare collarbone.

That was how Mickey found himself sitting on the edge of his bed, watching as Ian placed three different shirts next to him that he had brought over and wanting to jam screwdrivers into his eyeballs on a Friday night.

“Okay. Which one should I wear?” His boyfriend asked, his eyes darting from one shirt to the next.

“How the fuck should I know? You're meeting the furthest thing from the queen of England. Just fuckin’ pick one,” Mickey said, placing a cigarette between his lips and lighting it.

“C’mon, Mickey. I'll suck your dick when we get back if you help me,” Ian bargained, causing Mickey to snort.

“You would've sucked my dick anyway,” Mickey pointed out, raising an eyebrow.

“Please?” Ian nearly whined. If the fucker wasn't so cute, he'd be irritated as hell.

“Go with the blue. Red clashes with your hair, and green makes you look you like Peter Pan,” Mickey said, knowing he never would've had a chance against those puppy eyes.

Ian smiled brightly and grabbed the blue shirt before scurrying off to the bathroom. Mickey sighed heavily, dreading having to deal with his sister. It wasn't that he didn't like her or anything. He loved her more than anyone else in the world. They just hardly knew each other anymore. She had moved away and met Emmett, she was living a completely different life than him and as much as he hated to admit it, having her visit was only going to make him miss her more when she inevitably left again. Not to mention the fact that having to introduce Ian as his boyfriend for the first time was going to be one of the most uncomfortable things he's ever done.

Ian came back into the room, dressed in the blue t-shirt and a pair of washed out jeans, getting flustered as he looked around Mickey's room for his shoes. He looked really good. Mickey didn't think casual could ever look as good as that, but maybe he was biased. He didn't care either way. All he knew was that he really wanted Ian to get on him in that moment.

“Have you seen my shoes?” Ian asked as he crouched down, looking under the bed.

“They're probably in the living room. You took them off out there before we watched that movie last night,” Mickey told him, becoming more and more amused as he watched the redhead search. “C’mere,” he murmured, grabbing Ian's arm gently as the taller man stood up.

He pulled Ian forward, making him stand between Mickey's legs and looked up at him through his glasses. “Why are you so freaked out?”

Ian sighed softly. “I need her to like me.”

“Why? What's the big deal if she doesn't? She's just Mandy. The fuck does her opinion matter?”

“If she doesn't like me, then you're not gonna like me. I kinda like what we have going here and I'd rather not fuck it up by giving your sister a bad first impression of me,” Ian explained, pulling away from Mickey and went out to the living room to continue searching for his shoes.

Mickey nearly rolled his eyes as he stood up, following his over dramatic boyfriend out of the room. “Ian, my sister isn't going to change my opinion on you.”

“Just let me freak out, okay? Let me freak out and when we get back, I will make sure that you need a new bed tomorrow,” Ian replied, finally finding his shoes and slipping them on.

Mickey pretended to think it over. “Who says I'm bringing you home tonight? What if I have a better offer? Maybe Mandy will find a nice guy for me to hook up with tonight.”

“Fuck you,” Ian chuckled, pecking Mickey on the lips as he walked passed him, pounding his fist against Georgie's door twice.

 

Ian had been fidgeting the whole L ride to the Alibi and he didn't stop when they got there. Mickey and Georgie couldn't stop themselves from watching him in amusement as he bounced his leg and chugged his beer. Mickey put his hand on Ian's thigh under the table and patted it, hoping it would give him some sort of comfort. Ian looked over and gave him a fake, closed lipped smile and made no attempts at stopping his leg from bouncing.

Mickey chuckled and sipped his beer. Ian nervousness was definitely doing a great job at distracting Mickey from his own so when Mandy finally made an appearance, Mickey’s stomach dropped a little. She looked good. She had gained a couple pounds and her hair was about fifty shades lighter than it had been the last time he saw her. She didn't even look like she had just gotten off a plane. Mickey had to admit, his sister was beautiful.

Georgie squealed when she noticed that Mandy had walked in, causing Mickey to cringe painfully. He really needed to look into getting a quieter friend. He watched his best friend and his sister become acquainted, feeling Ian’s body become even more tense than it already was under his hand.

“Just play it cool,” Mickey told him quietly as he took one more sip of his beer before preparing to greet Mandy.

“Play what cool?” Ian asked, confused.

Mickey snorted and shook his head, getting to his feet. This was the idiot that Mickey was introducing to the family that mattered to him. It was going to be a long night.

He made his way over to Mandy, pulling her into a tight hug. “Douchebag,” he murmured, rubbing her back.

“Assface,” she said back, planting a sloppy kiss on his cheek.

Mickey rolled his eyes wiped his cheek with his hand. “Fuckin’ gross,” he grumbled, walking back to their booth and took his spot next to Ian, who had become even more pale in the time it took Mickey to greet his sister and come back. “You okay, firecrotch?”

Ian shook his head ‘no’, grabbing Mickey's beer and took a large sip.

“You're going to be drunk as hell by the time we get back, aren't you?” Mickey asked quietly as Mandy and Georgie sat down across from them.

Ian didn't get a chance to answer before Mandy was speaking to him. “Hi, I'm Mandy,” she said, giving Ian a warm smile.

“Ian,” he replied awkwardly, forcibly grabbing Mickey’s hand, using the older man as some sort of anchor.

At this point, Mickey was really wondering what happened to the confident, ‘I don't give a fuck’ attitude his boyfriend had always been sporting since the day they met. This was a completely different side of Ian and Mickey found it adorable if he was being honest.

It took a while for Mandy to start grilling Ian. Mickey had expected her to jump right in, but instead they made casual conversation, and Mandy was more focused on Georgie the two men across from her. That gave Ian a little time to pull himself together and he eventually loosened his grip on Mickey's hand, but he didn't let go of it. Mickey found that he didn't really mind it much. Displays of affection had never been his thing at all until Ian showed up, but no matter how much he liked the redhead, he was sure that no amount of public displays of affection would ever make him comfortable. With their hands hidden under the table, though, Mickey could relax into it.

“So, Ian,” Mandy began, and Mickey knew it was about to start. “What do you do for a living?”

“I'm a teacher. Tenth grade English,” Ian responded easily. It was clear that Ian loved and was proud of his job.

Mandy nodded, resting her chin on her palm as she really looked him over. “How'd you meet my brother?”

“My brother took me out to eat one day and Mickey was our waiter.”

“You know he's never introduced me to any of his fuck buddies before,” Mandy said, raising a perfectly arched brow.

“When would I have introduced you to anyone? You're never here,” Mickey interrupted but was promptly ignored as Mandy waved him off.

“And he still hasn't,” Ian replied, sitting back against the booth. “I'm not his fuck buddy anymore.”

Mandy looked over at Georgie with a smirk. “You were serious about the boyfriend thing?”

Georgie nodded and tried to hide her smile with her glass, taking a long sip of her beer. Mickey rubbed his eyes under his glasses, trying to release some of the irritation that was building up. Mandy wasn't going to let up any time soon.

“Mickey’s never had a boyfriend before. You must be pretty special.”

“Not really,” Ian shrugged. Mickey was impressed. He knew how hard it was to keep it together when Mandy was hitting you with an intense glare but Ian was doing a really good job of pretending to be unbothered. The lack of blood circulation in his hand told him Ian was losing his shit, but Mickey wouldn't tell anyone that. Ian was holding his own on the surface.

“Ever been arrested? Addicted to drugs or alcohol?”

“Uh, I was arrested as a teenager once but it didn't stick. Not addicted to anything. I'm pretty careful about not going overboard with that stuff.”

“Why were you arrested?”

“I was in the passenger seat of a stolen car. My sister was dating a cop, though. He helped us out of it.”

“‘Us’?” Mandy questioned, tilting her head to the side. “Who else was there?”

“My brother,” Ian replied. Mickey made a small noise in the back of his throat as Ian's grip on his hand tightened.

“Have you gotten into any trouble since then?”

“Jesus Christ, Mandy, stop acting like you give a shit about that. I can't feel my fucking hand,” Mickey interrupted, snatching his hand away from an embarrassed Ian.

“Sorry,” Ian mumbled, finishing off his beer. “I'm gonna get another drink.”

Mickey rubbed his hand as he stood up to let Ian out of the booth and sat down again once Ian was at the bar with a heavy sigh.

“Why are you acting like this, huh?” Mickey asked, staring directly at his sister.

“Like you didn't act like this the first time you met Emmett?” Mandy snorted, sitting back. “I asked the same exact questions that you asked Emmett.”

She had a point, Mickey had to admit, but Mickey couldn't be any more different than Mandy. Mandy was easily hurt. She had high expectations. She was his little sister. It was his job to make sure she was in the right hands. Mickey didn't need the same shit that his sister did.

“I didn't even want you to meet Ian. The both of you took it upon yourselves to make this happen. Stop being a cunt. Let the man breathe,” Mickey practically begged.

Mandy simply rolled her eyes and turned to have a conversation with Georgie. Mickey's eyes instantly searched for Ian and he relaxed for only a second when he found him because what he saw was a guy standing next to him, blatantly checking him out and as much as Mickey wished he could deny it, Ian was doing the same. He realized that this must've been what Ian was feeling that night at the club, the first time they kissed. Mickey didn't like it at all. As much as he wanted to be mad, he really couldn't be. He'd be lying if he said he hadn't flirted with people since he and Ian decided to only see each other. He'd found himself considering almost every offer he got to find an empty stall. He couldn't be mad. But he was.

Mickey sniffed and averted his eyes, staring directly into his glass. He hoped that Ian would tell the guy to fuck off before his anger inevitably got the best of him. He looked up when he felt the toe of Mandy's shoe nudge his shin.

“Looks like your man is having fun over there,” Mandy told him, her tone making it obvious that she officially didn't like him.

Mickey clenched his jaw, attempting to keep himself at bay and not start screaming at his sister in front of everyone. She didn't understand. It wasn't her fault. She didn't know anything about Ian or how hard this has been on the both of them, trying to find their footing in this new world that they were living in.

Mickey shot his sister a sulphurous glance before standing up and making his way over to his boyfriend. He looked directly at the man Ian was talking to. He was attractive if you were into man buns and stupid facial hair. Mickey sniffed and nudged his knuckle against his nostril.

“Take a walk, pal, he doesn't want whatever it is your offering,” Mickey told the guy, reaching around Ian to grab the drinks the redhead had ordered. “Let's go,” Mickey said quietly in Ian's ear before walking back to the table. He slid into the booth, sitting where Ian had previously sat, ignoring the pointed look his sister was shooting him.

Ian wasn't far behind, sliding in next to Mickey. “I'm sorry,” Ian said quietly and Mickey could tell he was being sincere.

Mickey simply nodded and patted Ian's thigh. “Don't worry about it.”

“I think you should worry about it,” Mandy interrupted, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Shut the fuck up, Mandy,” Mickey sighed, closing his eyes in hopes that Mandy wouldn't be there anymore when he opened them.

“No,” Mandy said, turning her attention to Ian. “This is really the first impression you decided to make on your boyfriend's sister? You weren't even going to pretend to be a decent guy?”

“Mandy, stop,” Mickey said lowly, sending a glare in his sister’s direction.

“No, she's right,” Ian said, causing Mandy to raise a skeptical eyebrow at him. “I really am sorry. I've never done this before. That doesn't excuse it, but I haven't been able to keep my dick in my pants for nearly half my life. I'm adjusting.”

“I don't like you,” Mandy said matter-of-factly and Mickey had the sudden urge to bash his head on the table. This couldn't have been going any worse.

“That's fair,” Ian nodded, chugging down half of his beer.

“No it's fuckin’ not,” Mickey replied, swatting Ian on the arm before turning to his sister. “You don't know the first thing about him. You're not even in my fuckin’ life, so why you think your opinion matters at all is baffling the fuck outta me.”

“Mick, do you wanna leave?” Georgie asked, ever the loyal friend.

He shook his head. “Nah, let’s bask in the awkward silence for a little bit,” Mickey answered, feeling himself relax just a little when he felt Ian squeeze his thigh gently.

It was going to be a long night. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Twitter: Miilkobitch


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Possibly the last chapter of the year unless I find myself inspired tomorrow. I'd like to get one more out before the year ends, but we'll see. This chapter is unedited for the time being so I apologize for any and all mistakes. Come talk to me on twitter. My user is in the end notes as always :,)

The rest of the night had been awkward, to say the least. No one really said anything, opting to finish off their drinks in silence. Ian had completely fucked up with Mandy. He knew that. He knew there was no way he could rectify the situation when it came to Mandy. He couldn't even blame her. If he had seen someone pull the shit he had the night before on one of his siblings, there was no way he would forgive them.

He was even less surprised when Mickey hadn't said a single thing to him on the way back to Ian's apartment, as they got ready for bed, not even a ‘goodnight’ before he fell asleep. He knew his boyfriend was pissed at him, rightfully so, and Ian couldn't say a word about it. He had spent most of the putting himself in Mickey's shoes and he knew he would've been just as angry if Mickey had flirted with another guy in front of him and his family. Mickey was angry and embarrassed and Ian couldn't blame him for even a second.

Ian hadn't slept that night, not being able to stop himself from feeling guilty and replaying the whole night over and over again in his head. He wasn't sure how he was going to make it up to Mickey, but he was going to find a way. No one deserved the disrespect that Ian had shown Mickey the night before.

Ian looked over at his boyfriend who was sound asleep, lying comfortably on his stomach. His breathing was steady, face relaxed, he looked peaceful. As much as Ian loved Mickey's glasses, there was something about seeing the older man without them on that made Ian want to never look away from him.

The redhead smiled softly before moving his body gently to hover over Mickey's. He kissed the exposed skin on Mickey's neck softly, nipping at it occasionally. Mickey's eyebrows woke up before the rest of him did like they always did, pulling together more and more every time Ian's lips made contact with his skin. Ian held his body up on one of his elbows as he used his free hand to trail his fingers up and down Mickey's naked side. He felt his boyfriend's body twitch slightly before he inhaled sharply, informing Ian that he had successfully woken the older man up.

“The fuck are you doing?” Mickey asked groggily, burying his face deep in the pillow.

“You know what I'm doing,” Ian murmured back, slipping his hand down the front of Mickey's boxers.

Ever the insatiable guy, Mickey lifted his hips slightly so that Ian's hand could comfortably wrap his dick, his ass pushing into Ian's hips. Ian didn't stop kissing and biting his neck as he stroked him slowly, his semi hard cock nudging between Mickey's ass cheeks.

They weren't good at the emotional bullshit. They couldn't talk about their feelings without tripping over themselves. It was uncomfortable territory for the both of them. Sex was easy; using your body to tell someone what you couldn't put into words. Ian could do this part. He just hoped that his body wouldn't let him down.

It wasn't long before Ian had stripped them both of their clothes and had Mickey on his hands and knees, prepped, and ready go. He lubed up his cock thoroughly before slipping inside of his boyfriend slowly, letting out a shaky sigh as the tightness consumed him. As he began rolling his hips forward, he couldn't suppress his smile when Mickey pushed back against him. That was something Ian often noticed about the older man; he could never be full enough, always begging for more. Ian couldn't deny him of that. He gripped Mickey's hips tightly in his hands and began drilling into him, soaking in the rhythmic grunts that his boyfriend was letting out every time Ian pushed his hips forward. Ian looked down and watched his cock pushing in and pulling out, loving the way Mickey's hole stretched around him. He was mesmerized by it.

“Perfect ass,” Ian muttered, licking his lips as he squeezed both cheeks in his hands. “C’mere,” he muttered, pulling Mickey up so he was on his knees, his back pressed firmly against Ian's chest. With one arm tightly wrapped around Mickey's waist, Ian brought his free hand up to cradle his boyfriends face and kissed him vehemently. Mickey reciprocated the kiss with just as much passion, moaning into the redhead’s mouth as he reached back and grabbed a handful of Ian's ass. Their tongues tangled together as they pulled each other as close as humanly possible. Ian was the first to break the kiss, dragging his lip over Mickey's neck, relishing in the sounds Mickey was making every time the redhead would nudge his prostate.

“I'm sorry,” Ian breathed into Mickey's ear, dropping his hand to Mickey's cock and wrapped it snugly around the shaft. “I'm sorry,” he repeated, and he meant it. He had never been more sorry.

“I'm close. Just fuck me,” Mickey replied shakily, catching Ian's lips again.

Ian obliged, grabbing the back of Mickey's neck and pushed him forward so his face was pressed against the mattress with his ass high in the air. Ian continuously snapped his hips forward and smiled as loud moans shamelessly fell from Mickey's mouth, the older man clearly not giving a shit who he disturbed or offended.

Mickey jerked his cock in time with Ian's thrusts and before they knew it, they were both grunting and clenching their bodies as they rode out their highs. Ian rolled away from his boyfriend with a heavy sigh, wiping the sweat away from his forehead. He felt a lot lighter. He just hoped mickey did, too.

“Fuckin’ starving,” Mickey said after a few minutes of silence, getting to his feet and pulling his boxers on.

“Wait a second,” Ian said, taking hold of Mickey's wrist before he could leave the room. Mickey gave him an expectant look, to which Ian replied with a tilt of his head, silently asking for a kiss. Mickey obliged (which Ian was more than grateful for), laying a few lingering kisses on Ian's lips. “I'll make you something,” Ian said when they pulled away.

Mickey nodded and grabbed Ian's boxers from the floor, throwing them in the redhead’s direction. Ian chuckled lightly as he pulled them on and lead Mickey out towards the kitchen, intent on making him some banana pancakes.

Upon walking into the living room, Ian saw clothes scattered all over the place. More specifically, he saw Lip’s clothes mixed with some more feminine clothes that couldn't possibly belong to just one girl. Ian sighed heavily, kicking things out of the way so he could get to the kitchen without tripping over the discarded fabric. The kitchen was much less chaotic, a girl with long dark hair was sitting at the island in just her underwear and one of Lip’s t-shirts as his brother was moving around with hot pans.

“Good night?” Ian asked Lip as he leaned against the wall. Mickey stood next to him, crossing his arms over his chest and avoiding eye contact with the young woman to the left of him.

“The best,” Lip replied with a triumphant smile tossed in Ian's direction. “I have two other girls in my bed right now,” he said in a hushed tone, making Ian roll his eyes.

Ian decided not to get into a conversation with his brother about his apparent foursome and turned to look at his boyfriend. “We’re going out for breakfast.”

Mickey nodded his agreement and before too long, they were dressed and quietly walking towards the nearest diner. Mickey was puffing on a cigarette, not giving Ian a second glance as they walked. He was still upset, and he didn't blame him for that. He wasn't naive enough to believe that sex could solve all their problems. He'd hoped that his profuse apologies would help his case, but at this point, he figured he'd have to come up with something bigger to make it up to his boyfriend. He was willing to do anything.

Ian pulled open the door for Mickey and the latter walked in without a word after tossing his cigarette, finding a booth close to the door and sat down. Ian gnawed on his lip as he sat across from Mickey, giving their waiter a polite smile as he sat menus down in front of them. He nodded and scurried off to grabbed their drinks once they had ordered them and Mickey picked up his menu, seeming way too focused on their food choices.

“You gonna stay mad at me forever?” Ian asked, finally breaking the silence between the two of them.

Mickey shrugged, not taking his eyes off the menu. “Probably, now that you've said something. I'm not one to back down from a challenge.”

“It wasn't a challenge. I'd actually prefer if you weren't mad at me at all,” Ian said, grabbing Mickey's menu from him and pushed it to the side.

“I'd prefer if you didn't make me look like an idiot in front of my uptight sister. Sometimes you don't get what you want,” Mickey replied, sitting back against the booth and pushing some salt that was left over from the last person who was sitting there around the table with his finger.

Before Ian had a chance to respond, their waiter was back, setting two glasses of water in front of them and pulling out his notepad. “Do you guys know what you'd like to order or do you need a little more time?”

Mickey looked at Ian for a moment before turning his attention to the tall, dark, and handsome waiter with a dazzling smile. “What did you say your name was again?”

“Damian,” he answered, smirking a little when he saw that Mickey was blatantly checking him out.

Ian was fuming. There was something completely different happening right now than what had happened the night before. Mickey was doing this maliciously, intent on making Ian feel what he had felt. Ian almost couldn't blame him. But he did.

Ian snorted rudely and stood up, walking out of the diner without another word. He walked quickly, wanting to get back to his apartment as quickly as possible and lock himself in his room like a moody teenager. He wasn't walking fast enough, though, because it wasn't long before Mickey had caught up to him and grabbed his arm. Ian didn't miss a beat, snatching his limb away from the brunette and started walking faster.

“What's wrong?” Mickey asked, doing a rather good job of keeping up with Ian's quick pace.

“Fuck you,” Ian spat, not even bothering to look in Mickey's direction.

“What? You can be all over a guy in a bar right in front of me and get pissed when I find someone else attractive?”

Ian chuckled humorlessly and shook his head. “I wasn't trying to upset you and my apologies were sincere. You're just being a petty, vindictive, asshole. Don't follow me,” Ian said, walking through traffic and getting an earful of honks from cars that had nearly run him over. Luckily, Mickey listened and turned in the opposite direction.

Ian was starting to wonder if maybe this whole thing was a mistake. They couldn't possibly make this work.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Twitter: Miilkobitch


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to put this chapter and the next chapter together but decided not to so I could fill out all 30 chapters so this one is a bit shorter than the last few have been. This is again unedited but the edited version will be up soon!

Mickey waited a few days to let things cool off before he even thought about contacting his boyfriend. He was still very much pissed at Ian and vice versa, but Mickey figured they could still be pissed off if they were in the same room. It wasn't that Mickey missed Ian. Quite the opposite, actually, but he had gotten so used to having him around that not even speaking to him had Mickey feeling like his furniture had been moved so slightly that he wouldn't be able to notice it at first glance, but for some reason, everything would look completely foreign to him. He felt more balanced when he was around Ian. That being said, he put on his best scowl and banged on the door of Ian's apartment.

When the door swung open, Ian seemed surprised to him but he recovered quickly and crossed his arms over his chest, jutting his chin out like he always did when he needed to make a point. Mickey ignored him, though, going straight for the couch and plopped down. It took all he had in him to not brush against the redhead as he passed. Hell, it was taking all he had in him to not rip Ian's clothes off. He was in grey sweats and a white wife beater, his hair was a mess, and he was clearly enjoying his weekend off from dealing with jail bound teenagers. Mickey almost hated his boyfriend for being so attractive.

Mickey didn't mention it when Ian sat a little closer than necessary and he didn't complain or push him away when their arms pressed together either. On the outside, he was ignoring Ian's presence completely. On the inside, though, he was itching to move closer. No matter how angry he was with the other man, any amount of distance was too much.

“I'm not talking to you,” Ian stated matter-of-factly.

“You just did,” Mickey pointed out, not taking his eyes off of the tv screen.

“Well, starting now, I'm not talking to you,” Ian replied, crossing his arms over his chest.

“I'm not talking to you either,” Mickey shrugged, silently enjoying the heat that radiated off of Ian.

Mickey felt a brief wave of satisfaction when Ian began to talk but caught himself when he realized he wasn't supposed to be talking to dark haired man sitting next to him. He almost let a small smile tug at his lips at the almost-victory. He decided he'd let himself smile about it when Ian wasn't around to see it.

Mickey knew they'd probably look ridiculous to anyone who might see them in the moment. Both men glaring at the tv as if it had done something to disrespect them, practically pouting, avoiding eye contact, and yet they were still basically on top of each other, needing to feel the warmth of the other man on their skin. But Mickey didn't care. They both had valid reasons to be upset with each other and they were both clearly stubborn as all hell, but Mickey figured they'd never take the steps towards making things right if they stayed apart. So, this was a solution. They could be mad and be in each other's presence at the same time.

The only noise to be heard was that of an angry detective on Law & Order, questioning a suspect. Mickey had already seen the episode on multiple occasions and he assumed Ian had, too. Neither of them were really paying attention to the tv at all. Mickey was too busy trying to keep himself together, not wanting to be the first to break. His eyes flicked in Ian direction briefly and he felt his resolve slowly breaking. He sighed heavily and nudged Ian a little before making his way towards Ian's room. They could fuck without talking, right? With his back facing his boyfriend, he finally allowed himself a small victory smile when he heard Ian following after him.

They both clearly felt that basking in the afterglow was too close to making up after they had finished seeing as they had both instantly grabbed their clothes and put them back on as soon as they had rolled away from each other. Mickey couldn't lie, it was good. There was so much built up anger towards each other that was released. It was rough and they were both leaving the room with bite marks, sore muscles, and messy hair. Mickey wouldn't have had it any other way.

When they made their way back out to the living room, they both stopped abruptly upon seeing Lip with his usual smirk plastered on his face. He was clearly just coming in from somewhere, hanging his coat up as he looked them over.

“Finally make up?” He asked, looking between the two of them.

“Nope. I'm not talking to him,” Ian told his brother before taking a seat on the couch.

“I'm not talking to him either,” Mickey said, running his fingers through his sex hair and plopping down right next to his boyfriend.

Lip snorted and shook his head. “Stopped by the house on my way here. Fiona’s making dinner tonight.”

“Yeah, okay, I'll be there,” Ian replied, pretending his hand wasn't inching closer and closer to Mickey's thigh.

“She wants you to bring your boyfriend. Wants to finally meet him. Told her she'd be disappointed, but she insisted,” Lip told them and chuckled at the middle fingers thrown his way by both men.

“Okay, Mickey’ll be there too.”

“No, I won't,” Mickey said to Lip, his eyes focusing on the tv.

“Yes, he will.”

“Lip, tell your brother I'm not going to some bullshit meet-the-family get together.”

“Lip, tell my incompetent boyfriend that if he ever wants to get laid again, he's gonna show up tonight and be on his best behavior.”

“I am not getting involved in this. All I'm going to say is that if you're not both present, Fiona is gonna crack both of your skulls,” Lip said, grabbing a beer from the refrigerator before going to his room and shutting the door behind him.

With no one around to talk to except for Ian, Mickey grumpily accepted that he had lost the argument and was going to have to show up for this dinner. It wasn't that he didn't know he'd have to meet Ian’s family at some point. He knew it and had accepted it. He just didn't want to do it just yet. Especially now when they were arguing and neither of them were willing to give up any time soon. His pride was going to get in the way of sucking it up and talking to his boyfriend for a night and there was no way in hell it was going to go unnoticed that they weren't speaking to each other. He was going to give a bad first impression and Mickey had to spend the night hoping that Ian wasn't the kind of person that would let his family influence his feelings towards him.

He'd give in eventually. He knew that much. He hated admitting to himself that Ian had hurt him. He didn't even really think it was fair to be upset with Ian seeing as he had done the same thing before the night with Mandy. He had forgotten that there were things he shouldn't do anymore. He had checked out the guy in the grocery store, flirted with the guy that was sat in his section, pocketed the number that the guy wrote on a napkin while he was out with Georgie. He was just as guilty as Ian was. If he was being honest, he was probably more guilty. Ian had felt bad for what he had done. Mickey hadn't even thought twice about how it might've affected Ian. That didn't mean his pride would let him give up this fight any time soon.

Mickey let his eyes focus on the side of Ian's face and sighed softly. Fighting didn't have to mean no physical contact. They had proven that less than twenty minutes ago. He adjusted himself so he was laying on his side, his head lying comfortably on Ian's thigh. He could feel his boyfriend tense slightly but he relaxed just as quickly, letting out a soft breath. Mickey could help the small smile that stretched on his lips when Ian ran his fingers gently through his hair.

They'd be okay. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Twitter: Miilkobitch


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> unedited, but what else is new? Edited version will be up soon!

The rest of the afternoon had Ian continuously running his fingers through Mickey's hair until it was time for him to take a shower. He was angry with his boyfriend but he was happy. The small gesture had assured Ian that Mickey was willing to try. Knowing that neither of them were willing to give up so quickly put Ian at ease. The last thing in the world that he wanted was for Mickey to give up.

Ian didn't believe in soulmates. He didn't believe that everyone had that one person they were meant to spend their lives with and he definitely didn't think Mickey was his. Hell, he didn't even believe that this would be his one and only relationship. They'd probably break up someday, meet new people, run into each other at the grocery store one day and share awkward small talk, maybe even reminisce on their history. He knew the chances of them working out for the long run were slim, but he didn't want to give Mickey up just yet. He wanted to milk this cow dry. He wanted to keep the thing that made him happiest in his grasp for as long as possible.

When Ian got out of the shower, he noticed Mickey had put on one of Ian's t-shirts. It was a plain black shirt, nothing special, but knowing it was his shirt caused Ian's chest to tighten slightly. Mickey looked good in everything. He managed to make that black t-shirt look so much better than Ian ever could.

He made his way over to the couch where Mickey was sitting, grabbing the towel that was wrapped around his waist so it wouldn't fall before leaning down and pressing chaste kiss to Mickey's lips. He really couldn't help himself. Mickey had kissed back but Ian didn't miss the look of confusion on the older man's face when he pulled away. That didn't stop him from planting one more kiss on his lips before walking off to get ready, though.

Once he was securely hidden behind the door of his bedroom, he pulled the towel from around his waist, rubbing it quickly over his head as he pulled boxers, a white t-shirt, and a pair of black jeans from his dresser. After he dried himself off, he slipped his clothes on in record time, shamelessly wanting to be back in Mickey’s presence. The lack of Mickey over the past few days had left Ian feeling bereaved and even with the silence, he felt full having his boyfriend around.

The silence was strange, though. He wasn't used to silence. Not from Mickey, not from anyone. Growing up, he woke up to yelling and fell asleep to soft whispering. In college, there was always a loud party going on near by. Living with Lip, more often than not, there would be muffled moans coming from the other room. He was never in complete silence and normally that drove him crazy. He never passed up the opportunity to sit in complete silence and be alone with his thoughts. Mickey's silence was different, though. It wasn't like Mickey was the most talkative person, but if he had something to say, he would say it. The silence was deafening, but there was no chance in hell that Ian would crack first.

When Ian walked back into the living room after putting his socks and shoes on, Mickey was sat on the couch, beer in his hand, and he couldn't seem to stop his leg from bouncing. His body language was much like Ian's was the night he had met Mandy. Unfortunately for Mickey, rather than meeting just one family member like Ian had, his boyfriend was meeting the whole family and they were already fighting.

Ian sighed softly and grabbed his faux leather jacket and slipped it on before turning to Lip. “Let's get this shit over with,” he said, opening the door and stepping out of the apartment.

The ride to the Gallagher house was quiet except for the soft hum of the engine. It was an awkward silence, Lip wanting to say something but clearly not knowing what to say. Ian was more than relieved when they finally pulled up in front of the house. He quickly jumped out of the front seat, not wanting to be stuck in that car for longer than he needed to be. Lip and Mickey trailed behind him as he rushed into the house, not bothering to knock because really, who ever actually knocked at the Gallagher house?

Ian hugged his siblings one by one as they approached him excitedly, giving each of them a warm smile. He loved visiting with his family. He didn't do it very much since he went off to college and then he got busy with work and Mickey and he just didn't do it as often, but every time he did visit them, he promised himself that he would do it more. He never kept that promise, though, and he wasn't sure why. Maybe this time it would stick.

“Are you Ian’s boyfriend?” Carl asked once it quieted down, looking directly at Mickey.

“Uh, yeah,” Mickey replied quietly, knocking his knuckle against his nostril.

“Well, it's very nice to meet you, Mickey,” Fiona spoke up, wrapping her arms tightly around Mickey. Ian almost laughed at the alarmed expression that was painted on Mickey's face. “Let's go eat,” she said when she pulled away, practically skipping off to the kitchen.

Most of dinner went smoothly. No one caught on to Ian and Mickey silently fighting, they all did all that they could to make sure Mickey was feeling included, asking him questions about his life and not interrupting when he spoke. Ian couldn't help his smile. He was over the moon with how well this was turning out. He knew Mickey was nervous, but he was doing a pretty good job of not showing just how nervous he was. Ian kept his hand on Mickey's knee the entire time, wanting to reassure him that even if they were fighting, he was still there for Mickey to lean on if he needed it.

“So, Mickey, how'd you do it?” Debbie asked, tilting her head to the side.

“Do what?” Mickey asked, keeping his eyes on his plate.

“Get our brother to stop being a slut,” his younger sister answered, laughing at the middle finger Ian had shot her and waved off Fiona’s disapproving words.

“Not sure I did,” Mickey muttered. Ian pushed his tongue into his cheek and gave Mickey a hard pinch on the thigh, causing the older man to slap his hand on instinct. “Ow, mother fucker,” he hissed, rubbing the spot that Ian had pinched.

“Lip, could you tell Mickey to pass the potatoes?” Ian asked, putting on a strained smile.

Lip snorted, shaking his head. “Nope. I am not playing this game with either of you anymore. Ask him yourself.”

“He's sitting right next to you, why didn't you ask him yourself?” Carl asked, confused.

“Because they're fighting and dealing with it like they're in second grade,” Lip supplied, picking up the bowl of mashed potatoes and handing them to Ian.

“Mind your business, Phillip,” Mickey said, popping the last ‘p’ and kept eye contact with the older Gallagher brother.

“You're the ones dragging me into it,” Lip shrugged, going back to eating his food.

Ian sighed heavily, putting the bowl of potatoes back on the table after he shoveled some on to his plate. He wasn't expecting this night to go well the entire time. He knew it would probably turn sour as the night went on, but he had hoped that they could keep it together for a little bit longer than what they did. He wished that Mickey could've saved whatever snarky comments he had to himself or saved them for when they would inevitably talk again and said them directly to Ian.   
The rest of the dinner went without incident, though, and Ian was grateful for that. No one mentioned the small bump after that and they continued eating and having light hearted conversations. Ian's hand stayed on his own thigh, though, and he had scooted his chair a little further away from his boyfriend.

When dinner was over, Mickey had taken a beer and joined most of Ian's siblings in the living room to watch tv and Ian stayed in the kitchen with Fiona to help clean up. Fiona was basically tiptoeing around him, wanting to bring up Ian and Mickey's issues but not knowing where to start. Ian figured he'd let her get there on her own. He wanted to put it off for as long as possible.

They were half way through the dishes when she finally brought it up. Ian was half way through drying a plate when she awkwardly cleared her throat while giving him the side eye.

“So, you guys are fighting?” She asked, trying way too hard to be nonchalant about the situation.  
“Mhmm,” Ian nodded, putting the plate in the dish drainer before grabbing the cup that Fiona was handing him.

“You wanna tell me why?”

He didn't. The whole thing made him look like an ass, and maybe that's exactly what he was, but he wasn't proud of it at all. He wished he could take it back and he wished Mickey would have simply talked to him about it rather than vengefully flirting with another guy while they were basically on a date. He wanted to go back to a week ago when everything was fine and everything was normal.

“We’re just having a hard time adjusting to being monogamous, I guess,” Ian shrugged, chewing on his bottom lip.

“Did one of you cheat?” His sister asked cautiously, raising a single eyebrow.

Ian shook his head instantly. “Not really. I don't know. I guess if you consider flirting the same thing as cheating. I don't know,” he sighed, trying to get his thoughts together. “I flirted with someone in front of him and it was an accident, but it was wrong. Then Mickey felt like I needed to know how he felt so he did the same thing to get back at me or whatever. It's a mess right now.”

Fiona nodded, keeping her eyes on the dish she was washing. “But you're still together, right? Trying to work through it?”

“Yeah. We're trying. Don't know how well we're doing, though. There have been times where I've questioned if we’re just fooling ourselves into thinking this could work but I always end up coming to the same conclusion every time,” Ian said, drying the last dish as Fiona dried the counter and her hands.

“And what conclusion is that?”

“That I wouldn't have decided to try this relationship shit with him if he wasn't worth it. He's definitely worth it,” Ian answered, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

Fiona smiled softly and nodded. “You guys will work it out. I have a feeling about the two of you,” she said, patting Ian on the back before walking off to join the rest of the family.

It was only an hour later that Mickey, Lip, and Ian were ready to head out. Ian and Lip hugged their siblings and Mickey respectfully waved before they hurriedly piled into Lip’s car, needing the day to be over with. Ian's eyes continuously flicked over to his brother and it wasn't long before Lip noticed and they wound up in a silent conversation. The older Gallagher was clearly annoyed as Ian urged him to do one last thing.

Lip sighed heavily before looking in the rearview mirror at Mickey. “Hey, Mickey, you staying at our place tonight?” Lip asked, causing Ian to smile triumphantly in the passenger seat.

“Yeah, whatever,” Mickey answered, looking out of the window.

A small weight was lifted off of Ian's chest knowing that Mickey would be next to him all night. He had missed his boyfriend over the three days that they were apart and all he wanted to do at the end of this stressful night was to hold his boyfriend. Things weren't so bad anymore.

Ian would talk to him in the morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Twitter: Miilkobitch


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another unedited chapter for you! I'll be editing tonight so if you wanna wait for the edited version, it'll be up soon!

Sunday was Ian’s favorite day of the week. There was something very calming about the day. There was nothing he had to do, nowhere he had to be. He was free to lay around his apartment in sweats and t-shirt, day drink, and watch random daytime television. On Sunday’s, Ian wasn't a teacher. He wasn't Mr. Gallagher. He was just a twenty-two year old without a care in the world. He loved being a teacher, he really did, but if he could get paid for sitting on his ass all day, he wouldn't pass it up.

The only plans he had on this particular Sunday, and hopefully every Sunday, was to switch between holding his boyfriend and fucking his boyfriend all day. He planned on maybe talking to him first, though. Verbally ending their fight seemed to be the mature thing to do. Not to mention the fact that he just simply missed Mickey. They'd been fighting for nearly a week and he wanted tell Mickey stupid jokes and pretend not to notice when the older man would crack a smile and try to hide it. He wanted to debate movies and music with him, he wanted things to go back to normal.

Ian groaned lowly as he began peeling his eyes open, the beam of light from the sun that made it through the crack in his curtains violating his eyes. He reached his hand out, ready to wrap himself around his boyfriend but all that was on the opposite side of the bed was air and cold sheets. Mickey had to have snuck out hours ago. He stretched out his stiff muscles before sitting up, running a hand over his face in an attempt to wake himself up further.

He was determined to make things right as soon as possible. He didn't want to spend one more day being in this hot and cold place with Mickey. With that as his motivation, he grabbed a hunter green Henley shirt, some washed out jeans, and a pair of clean boxers before going to the bathroom. He brushed his teeth and showered in record time, wanting to get to Mickey's place as fast as possible. He got dressed and slipped on some socks and tennis shoes, pulling a beanie down over his ears.

He figured that he should probably eat something before leaving, hoping that'd he'd need a reason to be energized after talking to Mickey and on his way to the kitchen to grab a pop tart, he was instantly forced to turn his back when he saw Lip fucking yet another random girl on the counter.

“Come the fuck on, Lip, you can't be serious right now,” he complained, just barely holding back a childish whine.

“My apartment,” his brother replied breathlessly, clearly not bothered by the interruption.

Ian sighed heavily and decided that Mickey was just going to have to feed him. He grabbed Lip’s car keys, not caring how much it might inconvenience the asshole and walked out of the apartment, making it a point to slam the door behind him.

He knew what Lip was doing. It didn't take a genius to figure it out. Lip had been going out of his way to make every day harder and harder on Ian. He wanted Ian to move out and Ian didn't so much care about that. He wanted to move out, too. He just wished that his brother could be mature about it and simply tell him. He'd been wanting to move out since the day he moved in with Lip. He'd been wanting his own place his entire life, really. He hadn't had his own room until he moved in with Lip, and that was nice for a while, having his own space that was just his, but it wasn't enough. He was finally financially stable enough to find his own apartment, even if he only had enough to afford a shitty one with barely working water. His mind was made up.

There was hardly any traffic on the way to Mickey's, which Ian was more than grateful for. He was like a kid on Christmas morning and Mickey was his present that he simply could not wait to unwrap. If he was being honest, though, it wasn't about sex at all. He really just loved being in his boyfriend’s presence. He'd be content to just sit in a room with him and tease him until his skin turned slightly pink, or wrap his arms around the shorter man. Sex was a plus, sure, but if he had to give up sex with Mickey completely, he wouldn't complain often.

He pulled up to the curb across the street from Mickey's apartment building, trying to find it in himself to not blindly jump out of the car and run. He figured he probably wouldn't make much progress with his boyfriend if he got hit by a car. He checked his mirrors to make sure there weren't any cars coming his way before getting out of the car, making his way across the street and locking the car up with a push of a button.   
After an agonizingly long ride on the elevator, he was finally in front of Mickey's apartment door, vainly fixing his clothes and adjusting his beanie to make sure it was hiding his messy hair before knocking on the door a few times. He was only slightly disappointed when Georgie was on the other side of the door when it was pulled open.

“Oh, hey,” she said, seeming pleasantly surprised. “What are you doing here?”

“Mickey,” Ian said simply as she opened the door further to let him in and made his way inside.

“He's at work. I thought you'd know that,” she said, shutting the door and turned to look at him.

At those words, he found himself calming down a little. “So he didn't leave this morning because he was upset,” he said to himself, smiling a little. “You mind if I stay here until he gets back? Don't really want to be at my apartment right now.”

“Yeah, of course,” she nodded, rounding the couch to plop down and continue watching whatever she had put on the tv before Ian had interrupted her.

He followed, taking a seat on the opposite side of the couch and pulled his phone out to send Mickey a text that he probably wouldn't see until his shift ended.

Ian (12:17 pm): At ur place. Come here right after work. Gotta talk.

Ian was surprised when he got a reply almost instantly. Mickey never checked his phone while he was at work, so Ian assumed he was on his break. The response made Ian frown deeply.

Mickey (12:18 pm): Breakin up with me?

Ian (12:18 pm): No! The opposite. Wanna put this behind us.

Mickey (12:20 pm): I get off in a few hours. See u soon.

Ian sighed softly, shoving his phone into his pocket. He hated the idea of breaking up with Mickey. He was pretty sure someone could hold a gun to his head and he still wouldn't do it. He knew that that was crazy. He knew that that probably meant his feelings were much stronger than he'd be willing to admit any time soon and that scared the shit out of him.

The hours passed agonizingly slow. Ian had been antsy the entire time. He wasn't nervous, he just really needed to be in Mickey's presence. He'd done everything to make the time go by faster. He tried getting lost in whatever was on the tv and when his mind kept drifting back to Mickey, he started pacing. He soon found himself cleaning the entire apartment with Georgie's amused eyes following his every move. He organized, he did the dishes, he put a load of laundry in the washer, there wasn't a single inch of the apartment that wasn't spotless by the time Mickey got home.

“The fuck are you doing?” Came from behind him, causing Ian to nearly jump out of his skin. He was currently scrubbing a stubborn spot on the kitchen counter.

He turned slowly, dropping the sponge that was in his hands. “Think I might be considering becoming a stay at home mom,” he joked lamely, giving his boyfriend an awkward smile.

Mickey snorted and nodded his head towards his bedroom before turning his back on Ian and walking away. Ian followed instantly, shutting the door quietly once they were both in the room.

“How was work?” Ian asked, leaning against the wall.

“It was work,” Mickey shrugged as he took his work uniform off.

“I uh, I got worried when you weren't there when I woke up,” Ian said quietly, looking at the floor.

“Didn't wanna wake you up. Know how much you like sleeping in on Sunday’s.”

Ian smiled a little and walked over to Mickey just as the older man had taken his shirt off. He leaned down and pressed his lips gently against Mickey's, wrapping his arms tightly around his boyfriend’s waist when he started kissing back. The kiss didn't last long and it never escalated. It was simple, sweet, and it was enough to have Ian’s toes curl.

“Hi,” Ian mumbled once their lips disconnected, causing Mickey to roll his eyes playfully and push Ian away gently.

“Hi, asshole,” he answered, continuing to undress and change into something more comfortable.

Ian watched him as he grabbed a cigarette from his pack and lit it before pushing his glasses further up the bridge of his nose.

“Have I ever told you how much I love your glasses?” Ian asked, sitting down on the bed and pulling Mickey closer so he was standing between his legs.

Mickey nodded. “Yeah, a few times,” he said, his eyes teasing. “We gonna talk or what?” He asked, bursting the bubble that Ian had just put them in.

Ian nodded slowly, holding on to Mickey's hips and rubbing the exposed skin where his shirt had bunched up. “I'm sorry I'm an asshole,” Ian said quietly, looking up at his boyfriend. “I'm gonna be better. I promise.”

Mickey's eyes searched the redhead’s face as he slowly pushed the beanie off of Ian's head, letting his natural curls free before running his fingers through his hair.   
“Yeah. Me too,” Mickey said simply, leaning down to press his lips to Ian's.

This kiss was different. It was heated, it was messy, it was the first step to the seemingly never ending make up sex they were about to have. It was a promise. Ian was going to hold on to that promise for as long as he possibly could. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Twitter: Miilkobitch


	27. Chapter 27

Looking for a place to live was stressful. The only places that were close enough to the high school were too expensive now that every block on the south side was being gentrified. Ian had been looking for two weeks and found nothing. He knew it wouldn't be easy, but he didn't think it would be this hard. He really just wanted something small and cheap but that was apparently too much to ask for.

Lip had frustrated Ian so much in the first week that he had decided he was moving out that he had taken over Mickey and Georgie’s couch three days in. At first, he had insisted on sleeping on the couch, not wanting to take away the alone time that Mickey cherished, but after a few days of bickering about it with both Mickey and his persistent roommate, Ian had begun sleeping in Mickey’s room. He had a duffel bag full of clothes that sat on the floor of Mickey's closet. He had decided to leave the rest of his things in his room at Lip’s apartment, though, not wanting to have to move them twice.

He had developed a routine at Mickey’s. He was an early riser due to his work schedule, so he'd wake up before sunrise, momentarily interrupt Mickey’s peaceful sleep to fuck his boyfriend into the mattress. Mickey always went back to sleep right after they finished and Ian would hop in the shower. He’d make enough coffee for each of them to have two cups and he'd prepare breakfast for them every morning and then he would go to work. He figured it was the least he could do since they were letting him stay there even though both of them had assured him that it was unnecessary. He snuck money into their jar too, making up for the food that he ate and the water that he used. Admittedly, he wasn't very subtle about it, putting in way more than necessary but his temporary roommates did a good job of pretending they didn't notice. The last thing he ever was was a freeloader and he wasn't going to start being one now.

Ian sighed heavily and dropped the newspaper that was in his hand on the coffee table. He was becoming more and more hopeless with every passing day. He squeezed his eyes shut and pinched the bridge of his nose, not even noticing that someone was in the room with him until his boyfriend plopped down on the couch next to him.

“Still no luck?” Mickey asked, wrapping his hand around the back of Ian’s neck and tried to rub out the tense muscles.

“Not even a little bit. I’m just gonna have to move back to Lip’s and deal with it for a while longer. Or maybe move back home. Hard to tell which one would be more unbearable at this point,” Ian said, sitting back against the couch.

Mickey shook his head. “Nah, man, I told you that you could stay here until you find a place and I meant it. Even if you had your own place, you'd end up staying most nights here anyway,” he said, his tone teasing.  
Ian managed to let out a short laugh. Mickey wasn't wrong. Since they had officially ended their fight, it was hard for Ian to let Mickey out of his sight for too long. It had only been a week of fighting but it had felt like forever and Ian just wanted to make up for the lost time. One thing's for sure, he had it bad for the waiter sitting next to him.

“That may be true, but you signed up for a boyfriend, not another roommate. I’ll keep looking,” Ian promised, leaning over to place a few gentle kisses on Mickey's lips.

“You might not have to,” Mickey replied when Ian pulled away.

Ian’s eyebrows pulled together and he tilted his head slightly. “What do you mean?”

“Talked to my landlord this morning. Someone’s moving out of the apartment right above this one in about week. Said he wouldn't mind having a chat with you if you're interested,” Mickey elaborated, getting up and making his way towards the kitchen. Ian followed him like a lost puppy.

“How much? Does everything work? Is your landlord a pain in the ass?” Ian was shooting off question after question, ignoring the amusement in his boyfriend’s eyes as he grabbed two beers, twisted the caps off, and handed one to Ian.

“six fifty a month, most things work, and Harry isn't the worst landlord a person could have. Pay your rent on time and you shouldn't have any issues,” Mickey said, resting his elbows on the counter as he lifted his beer to his lips and took a sip.

“I'll take it,” Ian answered eagerly, not even taking a moment to think it over.

“Tell that to him, dumbass, I’m not the one renting the place to you,” Mickey chuckled, earning him a middle finger from Ian. “You can enjoy the rest of your beloved Sunday now. Stop stressing.”

“You found a place?” Georgie asked as she entered the kitchen, her purple hair pulled up into a messy bun, wearing black leggings and a plain white crop top.  
Ian nodded. “Yeah, right upstairs. Mickey did some digging,” he told her before lifting his beer to his lips, taking a long swig.

“So, since you'll be so close, does that mean you’ll still make us breakfast every morning?” She asked, no trace of teasing in her voice. Mickey gave her his signature scowl and she shrugged in response. “What? He’s a good cook and once a girl starts waking up to a hot meal every morning, she gets used to it.”

“I’ll make you guys breakfast as often as I can,” Ian promised, interrupting the rant that Mickey was about to let out.

“I gotta piss,” Mickey grumbled, setting his beer on the counter before he left the kitchen and made his way to the bathroom.

Ian and Georgie sat in a comfortable silence for a few moments. It was always a comfortable silence with her. He never felt obligated to say anything around her. He could just be.

“So, I gotta ask,” Georgie spoke up, leaning against the counter. “I know what it's like to be friends with Mickey and I know what it's like to be Mickey’s roommate, but what's it like being in a relationship with him?”

Ian definitely wasn't expecting that. The question caught him off guard and he had no idea how to answer it. He was an English teacher. He was supposed to have a way with words, but now, looking into Georgie’s expectant eyes, he wasn't sure he could form a proper sentence if his life depended on it.

He gnawed on his lip, brows pulled together, letting out a short sigh. “You know that feeling you get when you go outside after a thunderstorm?” Ian asked, not taking his eyes off the counter. “Everything is wet and there's no sunshine. There's that smell that air fresheners try to duplicate but they never get it right. It just smells really nice and everything is really calm and you usually find yourself thinking that you wouldn't mind if the world was damp and calm just like that for the rest of your life. That's what it's like.”

He knew that it probably didn't make any sense. Who compares their feelings for someone they're in a relationship with to something that most people would associate with sadness? Someone who isn't happy with the relationship they're in. But Ian has always loved rain and more than that, he's always loved the aftermath. Sitting outside after it rains was something like therapy for Ian.

He finally looked up only to see Georgie looking at him with a smile stretched across her face. “You love him,” she said, and she was so sure about her words that it caught him off guard for the second time in just a few minutes.

Ian opened his mouth to argue but before he could, the bathroom door opened and Mickey walked towards him, landing a hard slap on his ass as he walked passed him to grab a snack.

“You wanna play some COD?” Mickey asked, his back facing Ian.

Ian couldn't take his eyes off of his boyfriend. He rolled Georgie’s words around in his mind. She wasn't wrong, he supposed. He definitely loved the aftermath of rain and he supposed that if he were comparing Mickey to something that he loves, he must love Mickey too.

“Yeah, sure,” he answered, smiling softly as he watched Mickey pour a bag of chips into a bowl and make his way to the living room, not having a clue about the realization the redhead had just come to terms with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> twitter: miilkobitch


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for the delay. The only explanation I have is depression and lack of motivation, but we're back! I hope you guys enjoy the chapter! We're creeping closer and closer to the end :)

As Mickey watched the eight ball fall into the corner pocket, Ian smiled triumphantly and was met with an affectionate middle finger thrown in his direction by the older man. Ian had insisted that they go out even though it was the day before they'd be moving Ian into his new apartment. Mickey knew it was a bad idea and had tried telling his boyfriend that, but the redhead wasn't having it. So, here he was on a Friday night, at The Alibi with Georgie, Ian and his family, watching them all drink way too much and being annihilated at eight ball (Mickey was sure Ian was somehow cheating because there was no way in hell someone as drunk as his boyfriend could beat him at an aim game).

“Don't be bitter, Mick. I'll make it up to you later,” Ian said suggestively, brushing his body against Mickey's as he walked past him and headed straight for the bar.

Ian was happy. They were both tired and sore from packing up all of Ian's things and they would undoubtedly be even more sore and tired by the time they finished moving the boxes into Ian's new apartment and Mickey had already promised to help his boyfriend unpack everything. It was a long, tiring, and annoying process and Mickey couldn't wait for it to be over, but Ian was happy. That's all that really mattered to Mickey.

Mickey watched as Ian ordered new drinks for the both of them. He sat down at the far end of the bar, admiring the way Ian’s whole face lit up as he listened to whatever the bartender, Kevin, was saying. He’d been doing that a lot lately; admiring everything the redhead did. Ian had the ability to captivate everyone around him. When Ian walked in the room, you couldn't help but to watch his every move. You couldn't help but to drink every part of him in. He was a work of art, meant to be stared at with nothing but admiration. Okay, maybe Mickey was a little drunker than he had realized, but it was true. Ian was beautiful and people were drawn to him. Not just for his looks, but for that instant feeling of comfort you got when he was around, even if you had never met the guy before.

Ian had kept that bright smile on his face as he made his way back over to Mickey, a beer in each hand. He sipped on one while he put the other in front of Mickey, placing himself right between the brunet’s legs. He was staring down at Mickey, pupils dilated, smile lazy, messy hair, and the same look in his eye that Mickey could only imagine perfectly mirrored the same one Mickey had looked at Ian with just moments ago. Admiration.

It was only when Ian had started to lean in for a kiss that Mickey had realized where they were. Growing up on the South Side of Chicago, Mickey had quickly learned that being gay wasn't okay in this neighborhood. He remembered a time in which he was ashamed and embarrassed of the fact that he liked men. That wasn't the case anymore. He wasn't hiring a skywriter to announce that he liked to take it up the ass or anything, but he wasn't embarrassed. He didn't think there was anything wrong with who he was. But people around here weren't so accepting of his and Ian’s ‘lifestyle’.

He quickly put a hand on Ian’s chest and pushed him back just a centimeter, instantly hating the look of hurt and confusion on his boyfriend’s face.

“Not here, man. Not in this neighborhood,” Mickey said quietly, keeping the hand on Ian's chest firmly in place.

“Why not?” Ian asked, pulling his eyebrows together tightly.

_Because I don't know if my dad is locked up or if he could walk in at any moment and ruin this night._

“It's not safe,” Mickey said simply, causing Ian to look around the room.

“Mick, no one here is going to care. Everyone here knows we’re together,” Ian pointed out, cupping the sides of Mickey’s face. “If someone starts trouble, we have all of my siblings, Kev and Vee, and the both of us. The numbers are on our side and I want to kiss my boyfriend.”

Mickey sucked his bottom lip into his mouth as he searched Ian’s face for any sign of doubt. To Mickey’s relief, there wasn't any trace of it, but that didn't stop his anxiety levels from skyrocketing.

“I’m gonna need to be a little drunker for this,” Mickey said, grabbing his beer from the bar top and took a long swig.

“You've never had to be drunk to kiss me before,” Ian said teasingly, his hands now down at his sides but he didn't make a move to back away from the waiter.

“I've been suffering in silence,” Mickey replied, causing Ian to snort a laugh.

The night went on, Lip trying and failing to get Georgie’s attention, Fiona and Vee laughing hysterically at the things drunkenly falling out of Kev’s mouth, Debbie and Carl getting into random debates, and Mickey finally beating Ian at pool once the teacher was much too drunk to see anything straight. Mickey felt light, not a worry in the world. He wasn't nearly as drunk as anyone else in the bar, but he was drunk enough to be in that happy state of mind where nothing could bother him.

Mickey finished off what must've been his fifth drink before walking across the room where Ian was trying to talk to Debbie but couldn't quite get the words to form as they were supposed to. As much as Mickey fought to keep the smile off of his face, he failed, a grin stretching from one ear to the other. He stood behind Ian, wrapping his arms tightly around his boyfriend’s waist and burying his face in his back so he could breathe in his scent.

Ian didn't stop his slurred conversation with his sister, just simply put his hands over Mickey’s and leaned back against his chest. Mickey had never felt more content than he had in that moment. The alcohol swimming through his veins, the warmth that seemed to always come with Ian engulfing him, the loud chatter coming from every corner of the room. He felt safe. It didn't take too long for Debbie's giggles to frustrate Ian, knowing he had no chance in hell of getting the words to form properly, so he turned his back to her, making sure that his grasp stayed firmly around Mickey. Mickey wasn't sure if it was because his boyfriend was feeling just as clingy as he was or if he was just too drunk to trust himself to move even a little bit without falling flat on his face. It was probably a little bit of both.

“Wanna get out of here?” Ian asked lowly. Even with his slurred words and his wobbly stance, the implications had sent a shiver right down his spine. He avoided looking in Ian’s eyes, striving for nonchalance.

“C’mon, man, no way in hell you'll be able to get it up at this rate,” Mickey murmured, licking his lips as his eyes trailed all over Ian's chest, admiring the way his muscles were threatening to break through the fabric of the too-tight shirt.

Ian scoffed and reached his hands lower so he could get two handfuls of Mickey's ass. “Please, I've got the stamina of a jolly fat guy, I could go all night,” the redhead answered before being thrown into a laughing fit at his own joke.

Mickey could only stare and shake his head, in complete disbelief that this was the man he'd be going home with tonight and many nights to follow.

“Yeah, alright, let’s get out of here,” Mickey said gruffly, shooing Ian off to let his family know they were leaving while the waiter went to talk to his best friend.

“We’re leaving,” he said in her ear, easily taking her attention away from Lip who continued talking despite the interruption and lack of audience. “You coming with us or are you gonna hang out for a little bit?”

“Depends,” Georgie replied, turning her body so she was facing him completely. “Are you guys gonna fuck when you get back?”

“Depends on if he can get the fuckin’ thing up or not,” Mickey chuckled, glancing at Ian briefly.

“Did you just make a dick pun? Is that how drunk you are?”

“I wasn't trying to. It just happened,” he shrugged, scratching the tip of his nose with his thumb. “Are you coming with us or not?”

Georgie appeared to think it over, looking around the bar. “I’m gonna stay. I wanna see if I can get rid of Lemur boy here long enough to maybe get Fiona alone,” she decided, earning a snorted laugh from Mickey.

“You know she's straight, right?” Mickey asked as he dug through his pocket.

“You're only as straight as your drunk self allows you to be,” she replied matter-of-factly.

Mickey barely suppressed an eye roll as he pulled out a pocket knife and slipped it into her hand, along with some cash for a cab. “Be safe getting home,” he told her before planting a kiss on her forehead.

“Have fun,” she called after him as he made his way over to his boyfriend and threw a lighthearted middle finger at her over his shoulder.

Getting Ian into the cab was a mission in itself, but trying to get Ian to cooperate and not grope him in the back seat was a whole other story. Trying to drag Ian into the apartment building wasn't any easier and every step taken towards his apartment, he was being pushed closer and closer to an aneurysm. He made a mental note to never let the redhead get this drunk ever again and then he made another mental note that next time they went out, it was going to be Mickey's turn to get shit faced so that Ian would be able to develop some sort of empathy for Mickey in this situation.

“I like your face,” Ian said as Mickey sat him down on the edge of them bed so he could start getting him undressed for bed. Ian reached forward and pulled Mickey's glasses off, running his index finger down the bridge of the waiters nose.

Mickey suppressed an eye roll as he lifted Ian’s shirt, wanting to get him to sleep as soon as possible. As cute as Ian was when he was plastered, Mickey was exhausted from dragging them both all the way across town.

“Are we gonna have sex?” Ian slurred, pushing Mickey glasses onto his own face and looked around the room curiously.

Mickey simply ignored his boyfriend, pulling the rest of his clothes off until he was down to his boxers before doing the same to himself. He tossed the worn clothes into his laundry basket, grabbing some aspirin, a glass of water, and the small trash can from the bathroom and sat them all down by Ian’s claimed side of the bed.

“Lay down, asshole. You need to get some sleep. Long day tomorrow,” Mickey said, not having to use much strength at all to push Ian into a lying position and covering him with the blanket.

“Hey, Mick?” Ian said, looking up at Mickey. His eyes looked slightly bigger through the glasses and Mickey couldn't stop himself from smiling a little as he gently took the glasses off of the drunken idiot’s face.

“What's up?” Mickey asked, walking to the other side of the bed and setting his glasses on the nightstand.

“I…” he paused, looking at a spot on the ceiling. “I think I’m gonna be sick,” he fished, rolling onto his side and buried his face in the trash can.

Mickey’s face scrunched up a bit and he crawled onto the bed, rubbing Ian's back softly as he emptied his stomach. It was going to be a long night and an even longer day tomorrow. Mickey couldn't wait. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> twitter: miilkobitch


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well.... hello again it’s been 10 million years since I last updated and I am so sorry about that, but as promised, this fic is not abandoned. 
> 
> Also this is the last chapter before the epilogue so we’re really at the end here. Thank you all for reading and for those who have been reading all along, thank you for sticking with me during this very dry period. I really seriously pinky promise to have the epilogue up way way way sooner than 8 months.

Ian was never going to drink again. The splitting headache he experienced the second his body began to shift from asleep to awake wasn’t worth it. Why anyone let him drink that much, Ian didn’t know, but the chances of Mickey getting the cold shoulder all day because of it were climbing high as his headache got even more intense as he broke out of his sleepy haze more and more. It was his own fault, he knew that, but it was way more fun to see the look of confusion on Mickey’s face whenever he was blamed for something he had no part in.

Ian could feel Mickey’s warmth under his arm. He was kind of surprised that Mickey hadn’t moved to sleep on the couch considering the red head could taste the vomit that lingered in his mouth. He groaned lowly and buried his face in his pillow, wanting to shut the world off. The bed shook slightly before he heard low chuckles coming from beside him.

“Told you not to over do it,” Mickey spoke up, running his fingers gently through Ian’s hair.

“Shh,” Ian hissed, trying to swat Mickey with his hand but only met air.

“You’re gonna be a delight today, Gallagher. I can’t wait,” Mickey said before tapping Ian on the thigh softly. “There’s some aspirin and water right next to you. We got shit to do today,” he finished, standing up from the bed and leaving the room.

Ian let out a quiet whine. It was going to be a long day.

It took a while before Ian was showered and dressed for the day, every movement he made hurting more than the last. He was still convinced that he’d never drink again when he finished showering, but the noise of his electric shaver had him wanting to drink again just to get rid of the god awful headache.

When he entered the kitchen, he ignored the smirk that Mickey threw in his direction, going straight for the coffee pot. He contemplated drinking straight from the pot but thought better of it, grabbing a mug from the cabinet and poured some of the bitter liquid into it until it was as full as it could possibly get.

All Ian really wanted was to crawl back into bed with his boyfriend and pretend there wasn’t a whole world out there, waiting for him to get his ass moving. Of course, that couldn’t happen seeing as Mickey was shoving a piece of toast into the redhead’s mouth, clearly wanting him to pull himself together faster. Ian sighed heavily and ate the food, finishing off his coffee as quickly as possible.

“Can’t we put this off until tomorrow?” Ian asked, making his way over to where Mickey was, by the door, putting his shoes on.

“Nope, the world doesn’t stop moving just because you drank too much. You’ll feel better once it’s done. No sense in avoiding it,” Mickey replied, grabbing his apartment keys and the keys to the truck that Mickey’s boss had let him borrow for the day. “Let’s go grab the rest of your shit from Lip’s and we’ll be done before you know it.”

Ian tried his hardest to stop himself from pouting as he followed his boyfriend out of the apartment and out to the truck, climbing into the passenger seat. The sun in his eyes was doing nothing for his headache and when Mickey took it upon himself to turn the radio up as loud as it could go, Ian briefly considered committing murder-suicide. He quickly reached forward and shut the radio off, sending a middle finger in a cackling Mickey’s direction.

“You’re not getting laid ever again,” Ian murmured, searching in the glove compartment for some sunglasses and became even more disappointed when he didn’t find any.

“Bullshit, you’ll be back in my ass before midnight,” Mickey replied and they were off, bickering back and forth as Mickey drove them towards Lip’s apartment.

They didn’t stop their bickering all the way to the apartment. They didn’t stop when they were in the elevator, causing the two teenage girls that were in there with them to giggle, they didn’t stop as they walked into the apartment, they didn’t stop as they filled boxes. Ian was sure his older brother was ready to put his head through a wall, but the redhead couldn’t be bothered to care while Mickey was complaining about everything.

“Why the hell aren’t you labeling boxes? You’re not gonna have a clue where anything is,” Mickey commented, watching Ian throw random things into one box.

“I’ll figure it out later. It doesn’t really matter what boxes this shit goes into when I’m gonna be pulling it all out later anyway,” Ian replied, holding back a sigh as he taped another box shut.

“You’re just making shit harder on yourself,” Mickey shrugged as he annoyingly put related things into one box and wrote what was inside on the outside of the box.

Ian knew it was the hangover that was causing him to be so annoyed with Mickey and the heat was causing Mickey to be annoyed with him, their frustrations not really being all that rational, but Ian was wholeheartedly considering running the older man over with a car.

“Jesus, when did the two of you get married?” Lip asked as he stood in the doorway of Ian’s bedroom. He got two middle fingers thrown in his direction, making him chuckle lightly.

The eldest Gallagher brother didn’t bother to help, not that Ian was surprised. His brother was on a mission to be the world’s biggest dick and Ian was calming down instantly at the thought of not having to live with him anymore. He let out a heavy sigh and started stacking boxes on top of each other, taking as many of them as he could down to the truck.

It didn’t take them nearly as much time to load all of his stuff into the truck as it did to unload it and take it up to Ian’s new apartment, both of them exhausted by the time they sat that last box down. Ian collapsed onto the couch that they had put in just a few days before, sighing heavily. Mickey followed suit, laying his head on the back of the couch and staring at the ceiling. Ian looked over at him, unable to stop his lips from twitching upwards slightly. There was no denying that Ian was a lucky man. Despite the hangover, heat, and bickering, he still felt so lucky looking at his boyfriend.

“Have I thanked you for helping me out today?” Ian asked, scooting closer to Mickey and wrapping an arm around the older man’s shoulders.

“Not today, no. I’m a little offended,” Mickey joked, letting his eyes fall shut.

“Well, that just won’t do,” Ian replied, moving so that he was straddling Mickey’s thighs. He dipped his head, trailing his lips over his boyfriend’s neck and pushing his hand up the front of Mickey’s shirt.

Mickey’s hands instantly went to Ian’s hips like it was instinct to put them there. “Could just say ‘thank you,’” Mickey pointed out but made no move to get out from under the redhead.

“How’s that fun for either of us?” Ian asked as he began rolling his hips, moving his head up so that he could attach his lips to Mickey’s.

Mickey hummed lowly and lifted his hips in time with Ian’s, creating more friction between them. Their tongues curled around each other, hair was being pulled, their lungs felt tight from lack of oxygen, and their lips were red and swollen by the time they pulled away from each other.

“Got any lube?” Mickey asked breathlessly, running his hands up and down Ian’s thighs.

Ian shook his head. “It’s packed in one of those boxes. Don’t have a clue which one it’s in,” he replied, reaching for the button on Mickey’s jeans.

“That wouldn’t be a problem if you had labeled the boxes like I told you to,” Mickey pointed out, earning himself a glare from the redhead.

“The more you talk, the less likely it’ll be that I’ll blow you.”

Mickey mimed zipping his mouth shut and Ian gladly took the small victory.

**

When Ian woke the next morning, his arm draped over Mickey’s waist and his nose pressed against the side of the shorter man’s neck, he let out quiet groan as he stretched his limbs as gently as he could without waking his boyfriend. Ever since they’d officially become a couple, Ian would slightly panic in the mornings whenever he’d wake up wrapped around Mickey. He couldn’t control it. He’d grown so accustomed to sleeping alone that when he woke up and found that his body had taken it upon itself to get as close to the warm body next to him as possible, he almost felt as though he had betrayed himself. He was never a cuddler. Not with human beings, at least. He would cuddle stuffed animals or his pillows as a child, sure, but when it came to people, he liked having personal space.

Not with Mickey, though, he realized. Once the panic subsided, he couldn’t think of anything better than sharing his space with the dark haired man. Mickey made him feel more and more grounded as the time passed. The panic would subside sooner and sooner every time he found himself in this situation, so much so that this time, he didn’t panic at all. He simply set into his routine of recommitting every centimeter of Mickey’s face to memory. The tiny freckle on his lip, the way his eyelashes curved, the rare relaxed expression on his face that was only there when he slept.

He was starting to accept that this was his new normal. Going to sleep with Mickey, waking up with Mickey, fighting with Mickey, eating with Mickey, spending every possible second with the man that was wrapped up in his arms right now and he couldn’t think of anything he wanted more. His lips curved upwards as he watched Mickey’s face scrunch up like it always did seconds before he woke up.

“Are you doing that staring thing again?” Mickey asked, his voice rough from sleep.

Ian’s smile only grew. It would always amaze him that Mickey knew exactly what he was doing without even seeing him. It was small things like that that made Ian believe that this could actually work out. They were still learning and part of Ian was sure that they’d never stop learning, but he was willing to be clueless for the rest of his life if it meant keeping Mickey around.

Noticing that Ian was quieter than usual, Mickey opened his eyes and raised an eyebrow as he turned his head to look at Ian.

“The fuck are you looking at, man?”

“I love you,” Ian sighed before he could chicken out of finally uttering the words.

Mickey looked surprised to say the least. Ian chuckled softly, watching Mickey’s face switch from one expression to the next as the older man seemed to be feeling every emotion known to man one after the other. Ian leaned in and pressed a reassuring kiss to Mickey’s lips, not wanting him to feel pressured into saying it back because truth be told, Ian didn’t need him to say it back. He didn’t even care if Mickey felt it, too. All he knew was that his own emotions were getting too overwhelming for him to keep them to himself.

When he pulled away from the kissed, Mickey still had quite the dazed expression on his face, like he was still trying to process it all. Ian was more than happy to give Mickey the out he was looking for.

“You hungry? I can dig through the boxes for a pan and make some French toast if you want,” Ian suggested, rolling out of bed so he could pull on a shirt and some sweatpants but Mickey sat up and grabbed his wrist before he could get very far.

“I love you, too,” He blurted out after a moment, not breaking eye contact with the taller man.

The smile that stretched across Ian’s face was nearly blinding. He didn’t even try to keep it under control. The man he loved confirmed that he felt the same way and the redhead never thought he’d ever feel these feelings, let alone have them reciprocated, but he was on top of the world.

Mickey broke out into a hysterical laugh when Ian tackled him back on to the bed and covered the older man’s face with kisses. They were far from perfect and they would never even get close to it, but they would be happily imperfect together for as long as the universe would let them. 


	30. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is currently unedited, all mistakes are mine, I’ll edit it later tonight. I just wanted to get it out there.

Three years. So much happens in three years. Mickey’s life is completely different now than it was three years ago. Three years ago, he was a waiter, living with his best friend, getting laid three times a month at most, single, and he never planned on changing any of it. He’d loved his life back then. He had very few complaints and he had no control over the things he wasn’t fond of so he was happy with the way things were. He couldn’t imagine anything that would make it better for him. 

 

Then Ian Gallagher showed up and he was amazed at how much better his life actually got. In three years, he’d gotten himself a boyfriend, fallen in love with that boyfriend, met and was accepted by his boyfriend’s family, taken over Danté’s restaurant, saw his best friend off to LA when she got her big break and landed a role in a tv show on a major network, moved in with his boyfriend who was now the principal of the school he taught at, and realized that the way things were three years ago wasn’t even close to as good as it gets. 

 

Mickey never imagined himself living a life of domesticity. A life where he’d come home from work and have dinner ready for him and dishes to do afterwards. A life where there was stability and structure. A life where he wasn’t scared to lose what he has. 

 

He felt comfortable enough to fight with Ian without fear that he would leave him. They were on the same side even when they fought. And they fought a lot. More than most couples, Mickey assumed. They hadn’t figured it all out yet and it took Mickey a while to figure out that maybe they never would. It took even longer for him to figure out that maybe it was okay if they never do. All they needed was the knowledge that they would both always do what they could to make it work. And they would.

 

Mickey pulled up to the gallagher house and parked the car that he and Ian bought off of craigslist. It was cheap and probably on its last legs, but it got the job done for now. It was really the first purchase they made together and scheduling times to use it between the two of them might be annoying at times but they both felt so much pride in it so neither of them complained much. 

 

He got out of the car, seeing Fiona sat on the front steps, smoking a cigarette. While she obviously wasn’t Mickey’s type, he could really see why so many men tripped over themselves when they saw her. She really was beautiful, even with her hair pulled up in a messy bun with a coat of sweat covering her face from the August heat. 

 

He nodded his head at her and sat down next to her, snatching the cigarette from between her lips and took a drag from it. She pretended to be annoyed, but over the years, they’d actually gotten really close. Closer than mickey was with any of the other Gallagher’s besides Ian, of course. She didn’t give him the cold shoulder when he and Ian fought, she checked up on him and was actually curious about his well being when she did so, she even fought a girl who wouldn’t stop flirting with Ian on Mickey’s behalf. She was the only one to accept him at first when Ian started bringing him around. She talked to him. She was there for him when shit in his life was bumpy. He considered her a sister. Someone he could lean on. 

 

“Happy birthday,” she said, hitting his arm lightly with the back of her hand. 

 

“I’m sure it will be later,” he smirked. 

 

It took her a second realize what he was saying and when she did, she faked gagging. “Ugh, Ian’s my brother and you might as well be, too. I don’t wanna hear that shit,” she chuckled, taking the cigarette back from him when he offered it. 

 

They sat in silence for a while, passing the cigarette back and forth. It was a comfortable silence. It always was with them. When the cigarette was done and flicked to the side, they both stood up and turned to head in the house. Fiona gave him a conspiratorial smile as she put her hand on the nob and for a second, Mickey actually thought she was losing it until the door swung open and there was an eruption of “Surprise!” as he set his eyes on the living room full people in ridiculous party hats with streamers and balloons surrounding them. 

 

He was too stunned to speak or even object when nearly everyone in the room rushed over to wrap him in the worlds largest group hug. Ian was there first of course, wrapping his arms securely around Mickey’s neck and pecking him sweetly on the lips. 

 

“Happy birthday,” he said, the smile on his face bright enough to blind him. 

 

“The fuck is this?” Mickey asked once he found his voice again. 

 

Everyone had finally let him go thanks to Fiona telling everyone to give him some space. He was thankful as fuck for that because he couldn’t remember a time in his life where he’d been more frazzled than he was in that moment. 

 

“It’s a surprise birthday party,” Ian said like it should be obvious. 

 

“But why?” Mickey asked, confused as ever. 

 

“Because it’s your birthday and every year, you tell me it’s not a big deal and all we ever do is watch tv and have sex. I wanted to do something special this year so suck it up, grab a beer, and have some fun,” Ian said, slapping Mickey on the ass before walking away and turning the stereo on full blast. 

 

A beer was thrust into Mickey’s hand as he watched Ian in shock and he nearly dropped the bottle when he looked over to see who gave it to him. Georgie was standing there with a toothy grin after 2 years of not seeing each other without the help of a camera and a screen. 

 

“Hey,” Mickey said, but his voice went up at the end, making it sound like a question. He chuckled and pulled her in for a tight hug. They didn’t break for a while, mostly because Mickey refused to let her go. It’d be way too long since he’d last seen her and video chatting every weekend just hadn’t cut it.

 

When he finally pulled away from the hug, he twisted the cap off of his beer and chugged half of it to get himself together like he did something stupid like fucking cry. 

 

“How the fuck are you here?” He asked in wonderment. “I thought you didn’t finish filming until October.”

 

“I lied,” she shrugged and laughed at Mickey’s scandalized face. “I wanted to make sure my appearance here was a surprise.” 

 

“Well, consider me fuckin’ surprised,” he responded, shaking his head. 

 

He looked around the room, seeing all of the Gallagher’s, Kev and V, Donté, some of the employees from the restaurant, Mandy, and even Iggy and Joey were there. Ian had really gone all out with this party and as much as Mickey wanted to be upset, he just couldn’t be. He wasn’t sure how long he’d been standing there, but by the time he came back to himself, everyone in the room was dancing, cheering, and just having a great time. Ian caught his eye and nodded his head in a way that said ‘come here’ so Mickey did. He immediately pressed his weight against Ian, feeling a little overwhelmed and in need some grounding. Ian chuckled softly and wrapped his arms around the shorter man. 

 

“This is okay, right? You’re not upset that I did this?” Ian asked, sounding a bit insecure about the whole thing. 

 

Mickey nodded, his face stuffed in Ian’s neck. “It’s great, man. Thank you.” 

 

“Georgie is staying with us while she’s here so you’re gonna have to bite a pillow tonight,” Ian teased. 

 

“How about I just bite you instead?” Mickey asked before sinking his teeth sharply into Ian’s neck. 

 

Ian laughed and pulled his flesh out of Mickey’s mouth. Without realizing it, Ian had even started swaying to the music and despite Mickey always protests against dancing, he let it happen because he was just so happy. So, fuck it, for tonight, and tonight only, he’d dance with his boyfriend. 

 

—

 

“I wanna marry you,” Mickey said a month later when they were laying on their kitchen floor, high as kites. He wasn’t sure why he said it, but it was true. He knew that he didn’t ever want to be with anyone else, that’s for sure. He didn’t want a ceremony, he wasn’t even sure if he wanted it to be legally binding, but the idea of wearing a ring to show other people that he was unavailable, that he was Ian’s and only Ian’s, it was all so appealing. 

 

“What?” Ian asked slowly. “Say that one more time.” 

 

“You heard me, asswipe,” Mickey chuckled, taking a drag from the blunt that they were passing back and forth. 

 

“I wanna hear you say it again,” Ian replied, pushing himself up on his elbows.

 

“I wanna marry you,” Mickey repeated reluctantly, avoiding Ian’s eyes. 

 

“Are you asking me or are you just letting it be known that you might revisit the subject one day?” Ian asked, getting that eager look in his eyes. 

 

Mickey didn’t really know the answer to his question if he was being honest. He loved Ian, that was for sure, and he did want to marry him. He just didn’t know if he was ready to do it so soon. He couldn’t even lie to himself, he was scared. Scared that thinking even 2 minutes into the future that it could all be taken away from him in a split second. But looking at Ian’s face in that moment, he threw caution to the wind. 

 

He sat up, nervously gnawing on his lip. “Fuck it, I’m asking,” he blurted out before he lost the nerve to do it. “Will you marry me?” 

 

Ian grinned and started nodding his head before Mickey had even finished asking the question. 

 

—

 

It never failed to baffle Mickey how much could change in three years. Three seemed to be his lucky number. Every three years, something incredible would happen to him. The last time around, he’d married the love of his life. Three years before that, he’d met the man he was going to marry. Three years before that he’d met his best friend who would one day carry the child that he and Ian would raise together in the small, two bedroom house that they had bought. 

 

He looked at his sleeping best friend who had finally gotten a break after being in labor for 42 hours. His eyes lingered a bit before they shifted to his husband who was sitting in the corner of the hospital room with their daughter tucked safely in his arms. He was completely in awe of the people in this room. The lengths they were willing to go for him, the love they gave him, the beauty within all three of them. 

 

He quietly slipped away from Georgie’s bedside and made his way over to Ian and Nina. He sat down and his eyes immediately locked on their daughter’s face. She was perfect. She looked like him with her dark hair and light eyes. While she had his looks, he hoped to whatever higher being there may be out there that she would pick up more of Ian’s personality traits. Generous, funny, intelligent, kind, motivated, all the things he loves about the red headed man sitting next to him. 

 

“She’s beautiful,” Ian said in awe, breaking the silence for the first time since the nurses left the room. 

 

Mickey could only nod in agreement. There weren’t any words that needed to be added. She was beautiful and she was theirs. He could only hope that they didn’t somehow fuck her up down the line. He wasn’t sure how he’d be at being a parent. He didn’t really have any great role models in that department. But he had Ian and Ian had him. They also had fiona who, while isn’t biologically a mom, raised five kids all on her own. If they ever needed advice or just someone to bitch to, she’d be there. And Georgie would be there, too. Even without living in Chicago, she was still only a phone call away and she always picked up. There was no guarantee that they wouldn’t fuck this up, but at least if they did, he’d have at least three other people to blame for it. 

 

So, yeah, three is his lucky number. The three most important people to him are in this room. There are three people for him to lean on when things get too hard to bare on his own. And every three years, he thinks things couldn’t get any better, but every three years, they always do. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is it. It’s taken forever, but this is finally the end. This isn’t the direction I initially planned this ending to go, but I’m happier with this one. First of all, I wanna thank Shelby for all of her help throughout the process of writing this fic. She’s amazing and I love her 10/10 
> 
> Thank you to all the people who read, commented, and left kudos. Especially the ones who stuck with me when I was having the worst writers block of the century. 
> 
> But most importantly, I wanna thank gallavich for being endgame and inspiring me to finally fucking finish this.


End file.
